Some cucumbers are more equal than others
There is a wide range of cucumber varieties, for instance cucumbers that are used in salads (slicing cucumbers) or those that are pickled. The “regular” cucumbers are about 40 cm and due to their slightly sweet taste very suitable for soups and salads. Another variety are the mini snack cucumbers, they are about 15 cm and their size makes them the perfect healthy snack. The pickled cucumbers include braised cucumbers and gherkins. They contain less water and therefore are suitable for pickling, canning and cooking. Smaller cucumbers can be pickled as gherkins.
Cultivated in the heat, but stored cool
Cucumber plants love the warmth. During the season, from May until the beginning of September, they are grown in fields in Germany too. In the other months they have to be grown in greenhouses. A fresh cucumber can be recognized by their firmness, softness, especially the ends, indicate that they are overripe. Cucumbers have to be stored cool, but not cold, therefore they are better not kept in the refrigerator. Furthermore it is not wise to store them with apples or bananas, cucumbers ripen faster together with those fruits. Wrapped in plastic cucumbers remain fresh even longer.
Green, healthy and slim
Cucumbers have very few calories, because they consist of 96 percent water. However the green vegetables score points with their share in minerals and vitamins (Phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins A, B1 and C). These important nutrients can be found directly under the peel, so washing cucumbers with warm water is better than peeling them.