Too often, cucumbers are an afterthought, a mild little crunch added to a salad. But they have been cultivated for over 3,000 years in cultures around the world.  The cucumber originated in India, and has been grown there for over 3,000 years. In Vedic lore, one of the most sacred prayers is the Maha Mrityunajaya Mantra: “We worship and adore you, O three-eyed one, O Shiva. You are sweet gladness, the fragrance of life, who nourishes us, restores our health, and causes us to thrive. As, in due time, the stem of the cucumber weakens, and the gourd is freed from the vine, so free us from attachment and death, and do not withhold immortality.”

In ancient Rome, the Emperor Tiberius was attached to his cucumbers, insisting on them every day year-round. To quote Pliny: “Indeed, he was never without it; for he had raised beds made in frames upon wheels, by means of which the cucumbers were moved and exposed to the full heat of the sun; while, in winter, they were withdrawn, and placed under the protection of frames glazed with mirrorstone.” Reportedly, they were also cultivated in cucumber houses glazed with oiled cloth known as specularia—which sound very much like the precursors to my brother Henry’s hoophouses.  

While Henry grows most of his cucumbers (and almost all of his many vegetables) out in the open, under the sun and rain,  hoophouses provide the perfect hot, dry climate for the cukes, which did not evolve to thrive in a typical Illinois summer of high humidity and waterlogged soils after thunderstorms. In the hoophouse we give them the conditions they evolved in—dry soils, dry air, intense sunlight and high heat. This year, expand your cucumber horizons, and look for some of these wonderful cucumbers at your farmers markets:

Japanese cucumbers are nearly seedless, mild, long and slender, and deep green—great for slicing

European or Dutch hothouse varieties  are long, thin-skinned, seedless (usually shrink-wrapped in the store)

Persian Babies are similar to the Dutch hothouse, but about half as long (4-5 inches) with a lighter color, very tender skin and very few seeds.

Beit Alpha is a blockier, smaller version of the European hothouse cuke, developed in Israel, and adapted to that very dry climate.

Armenian cucumbers are a pale green with darker stripes. The very long-ribbed fruit is often curly. Is has an extremely thin skin, and a perfumy aroma.

English cucumbers can grow as long as 2 feet, have a delicate skin, and very few seeds.  They are sometimes marketed as “Burpless”, because the seeds and skin of other varieties of cucumbers can give some people gas.

Lemon cucumbers are small, yellow spheres the size of a tennis ball. They are very juicy and flavorful, but with a cucumber, not a lemon, flavor.

Even old-fashioned slicer cucumbers are great at this time of year—straight from the vine, in a very simple, elegant cucumber salad, or in a refreshing Asian Cucumber Ribbon Salad. 

Simplest Cucumber Salad
Slice a fresh cucumber. Dress with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with equal parts white vinegar and olive oil. Add a dash of hot pepper flakes. Serve. 

Asian Cucumber Ribbon Salad
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1-1/2 English Cucumbers, halved crosswise

1. Bring vinegar and sugar to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then cool to room temperature. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.
2. Cut cucumber lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick ribbons using a mandoline or other slicer. Toss cucumber with dressing and let stand 5 minutes before serving.