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BS: The Cucumber

24 Jul 14 - 09:01 AM (#3644840)
Subject: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

Cucumbers are healthy. They are easy to grow, not too expensive, store well, and are mostly available year round. They are mist often used in pickles and salads. I enjoy them in sandwiches.

What about you? Any food uses/recipies to suggest?

Healthy Cucumbers 


24 Jul 14 - 09:09 AM (#3644843)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST

oops .. thought this was a song challenge !!!???

"The Cucumber t'is a pretty salad fruit, it pickles and quick fries.
It brings us cool sandwiches, it tells us no lies..... etc...etc.."


24 Jul 14 - 09:13 AM (#3644845)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

It could also be a song poem challenge....let them fly.


24 Jul 14 - 09:15 AM (#3644846)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

a cucumber sandwich 
shouldn't be made ahead of time 
as the liquid in the cucumber 
will seep through the bread like lime 

you'll have a wet hand 
when you lift the sandwich off the plate 
your palm and fingers 
will be in a saturated state 

always make cucumber sandwiches 
immediately before afternoon tea 
as at this juncture of time 
the bread will not be so soggy 

your afternoon tea guests won't abide 
the seepage all over their hands 
it will make them feel like 
jeering as spectators in a grandstand 

the most tempting cucumber sandwiches 
are never served wringing wet 
they have a dry bread cover 
akin to an indoor carpet 

to stop this sort of sandwich irrigation 
you must follow these preparatory recommendations

Elizabeth Squires


24 Jul 14 - 10:34 AM (#3644862)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Jack Campin

Harry Champion on the cucumber:

http://firstworldwar.com/audio/Harry_Champion_-_A_Little_Bit_Of_Cucumber.mp3


24 Jul 14 - 11:54 AM (#3644885)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Richard Bridge

The only way I actually like them is in Pimms. However the classic thin cucumber sandwich can be tolerable.


24 Jul 14 - 12:07 PM (#3644887)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: David C. Carter

We used to fish with cucumber and pepper.

Sprinkle the latter upon the water,and when a fish comes up to sneeze,whop it over the head with said cucumber.
You got yourself,with the aid of some bread a cucumber,fish sandwhich.



Bloody awful.


24 Jul 14 - 12:09 PM (#3644888)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

I remember a professor who was extremely allergic to cucumbers. On field trips when we arrived at a possible lunch stop, he would quickly sniff the air. If he smelled cucumber from the café he would make us move on to the next possible eatery.

I am not allergic to cucumbers, but I don't like them and remove them from salad offerings, etc.


24 Jul 14 - 12:39 PM (#3644895)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Musket

OK to rub on your forehead when you are hot.

One of the few things I fish out of food and leave to one side, (celery being the other.)


24 Jul 14 - 12:41 PM (#3644897)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

Cuke fishing or head bonking, I never thought of that before:

head bonking cuke 


24 Jul 14 - 06:08 PM (#3644990)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: JennieG

Have to say I'm with you, Q......cucumbers and I don't like each other.


24 Jul 14 - 09:23 PM (#3645035)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,Mrr

OK, what ARE Pimms?


24 Jul 14 - 11:40 PM (#3645048)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: LadyJean

I don't care for cucumbers in their natural state. Being a Pittsburgher, I have to like pickles. This is the home of H.J. Heinz. (My great grandmother bought vegetables from Henry J. Heinz. When I was a kid, I toured the Heinz plant, as you could do in those days, and got my pickle pin.)

My father's mother would faint if she ate cucumber. People didn't believe her and would slip her one. She'd pass out and people would think she was drunk. A Methodist and a lifelong teetotaller she wasn't amused.

You can't, alas tour the Heinz plant anymore. But pickle pins are still available.


25 Jul 14 - 02:43 AM (#3645072)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Richard Bridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimm's


25 Jul 14 - 03:49 AM (#3645083)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,Shimrod

So now I know that there is at least one person in the world who wakes up in the morning thinking to himself: "I know, I'll start a thread on cucumbers! Who knows, I might make contact with others who share my enthusiasm for the blandest of vegetables?"

I look forward, with trembling anticipation, to possible future threads on cardboard boxes, pieces of string and A4 printer paper! I can't wait!!


25 Jul 14 - 04:10 AM (#3645087)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler

We'll, at last anecdotal proof that I'm not the only person with an aversion to the effects of eating cucumber.

Whatever chemical it is that affects me is also to a lesser extent in uncooked celery and to an even lesser extent in lettuce. Cooked celery is fine so it must be destroyed by heating.


25 Jul 14 - 04:29 AM (#3645091)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST

Effects of eating cucumber - none particularly, UNLESS I also have beer!
Someone once remarked on the fact that, of the two, it was the cucumber that I chose to leave out of my diet.


25 Jul 14 - 06:12 AM (#3645116)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: bubblyrat

There was a young lady from Harrow ,

Whose ----- was exceedingly narrow .

Times without number

She tried a cucumber

And now she can manage a marrow.


25 Jul 14 - 06:14 AM (#3645118)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: bubblyrat

PS Don't forget "The Cucumber Song " by the late ,great, Jon Isherwood ( or Joni Sherwood , or Jo Nisherwood as he often was ).


25 Jul 14 - 07:23 AM (#3645141)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

So, Shimrod,how do you really feel about the cuke thread title, - enough to get you to post, versus passing it by, LOL.

Yes, maybe could have put up a thread topic that would have been much more meaningful, one that would have encouraged folks to strongly disagree, degress and send off personal insults at each other. Or, then maybe just post a "good old in season topic",thread like the types from the past, one that could not be hijacked by worn disputes over religion, contentious politics , or sexuality-which many are destined to become on Mudcat BS.


25 Jul 14 - 08:24 AM (#3645160)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Rumncoke

Cucumbers are fruits - like marrows and tomatoes and peppers.


25 Jul 14 - 08:32 AM (#3645163)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

There are many variations of mustard pickles. I prefer them with cukes. Below is one variation, step by step.


Mustard pickles 


25 Jul 14 - 08:55 AM (#3645168)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Rog Peek

Never could stand the taste of the bloody things!

Rog


25 Jul 14 - 09:40 AM (#3645178)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

it seems you either love them or hate them... lol unless it's a small and freshly picked in the garden pickler, hubby won't touch them... so I get his from the salad when we eat out.

I'm a cuke lover... and grew up on them. take a nice firm one, peel it and then slice as thin as you can... let it drain a bit and then add a homemade french style dressing. I'd take some and put on a fresh Kaiser roll... heaven

the dressing was the best way to use up the last of the ketchup bottle... add some cider vinegar, oil, enough sugar to make it sweet & sour, add a bit of Worchester sauce and celery salt, then give the bottle a good shake and it's done. The consistency should be just thick enough to coat a spoon while thin enough to flow smoothly.

grind up a bit of peeled, deseeded cuke and add along with minced onion and fresh mint to plain yogurt to make the Greek gyro sauce - tzatziki. That I have to fight hubby for when we have Greek salad with grilled pita... we split the kalamata olives and he gives me his sliced cukes - go figure.


25 Jul 14 - 09:57 AM (#3645184)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Stu

I loves a cucumber in me salad, me.

Also chop and mix with plain yoghurt and fresh mint to have with a hot curry. Luverly!


25 Jul 14 - 10:00 AM (#3645185)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,leeneia

The OP asked for recipes, so here's one. I served it one Christmas, and it was good. It comes from the Joy of Cooking.

RHINE WINE CUP

Mix in a punch bowl:
(Make sure the bowl is big enough before you start pouring)

1 cup sugar syrup
2 cups lemon juice
1 cup brandy
2 cups dry sherry
1 cup strong tea
3 bottles Rhine wine or other dry, white wine
2 cups thinly sliced, peeled, seeded cucumbers

After 20 minutes, remove the cucumber. Add a large block of ice and pour over it

1 quart carbonated water.

==========
The taste of this makes me aware that cucumber is indeed a fruit.


25 Jul 14 - 01:28 PM (#3645242)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

Tzatziki sauce uis really good in a chicken wrap.


Greek Tzatziki sauce 


25 Jul 14 - 06:42 PM (#3645332)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,crazy little woman

A cucumber is a rather fragile food. I think it's better if you don't do much too it.

Cucumber sliced thin and combined with fresh tomatoes, then given a dollop of mayonnaise or ranch dressing - that's good! Especially if you allow it to get nice and slurpy. Ah, summer.


25 Jul 14 - 09:20 PM (#3645352)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Joe Offer

Say all you want about cucumbers, and I won't believe you. They look too damn much like zucchinis.

-Joe-


26 Jul 14 - 06:40 PM (#3645534)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: JennieG

No, zucchinis are very different. Joe! I can eat them.

Two things I just cannot eat are cucumbers and tomatoes. One of my earliest memories is of my mother holding me down with one hand while trying to force-feed me a piece of tomato with the other.

All these years later, and I still can't eat tomato.


26 Jul 14 - 07:27 PM (#3645539)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

I like stuffed zucchini. Had them in the garden. Split in half, seeds left for the birds, each half filled with a spiced ground meat mixture, and baked.

But cucumbers, No, no, never!


27 Jul 14 - 12:54 PM (#3645692)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Penny S.

My Dad had a notice on the kitchen cupboard "NO CUCUMBER!".

He had had unfortunate results from eating them. I have found that once they have gone past ripeness, they are the fastest way of cleaning out my gut imaginable.

My grandmother, after the war, during rationing, served it to my parents, but ate, herself, that part of the cucumber not fit for table while in the kitchen. She had to be rushed to hospital, which involved the police, who interviewed my mother, thinking that she had poisoned her mother for some reason. All cleared up OK, though.

The family includes one of the bryony varieties - can't remember which one, the other one is related to yams. Both of the bryonies are poisonous. Odd how major food plant families can have poisonous ones in them. Potatoes, carrots*, and this lot, Can't trust any you haven't grown yourself or bought. (Though my sister had a bad reaction to a tinned mushroom from a well known manufacturer.)

*And you can get skin reactions from parsnip leaves and stems.


27 Jul 14 - 01:32 PM (#3645707)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,Patsy

Although the cucumber is pretty bland it does go surprisingly well in Pimms or Punch together with apple and a sprig of mint lovely. My mother has always served cucumber in vinegar sprinkled with pepper just to give it a little bit of oomph to add to salads. I like it cut into sticks with carrot etc. to serve with a dip. Very handy to have with the barbecue while waiting to see whether or not you get a properly cooked piece of meat or a charred offering! I have been to a few of those.

I won't let it go to waste and will add remaining cucumber to stir fries or stews. The trouble with cucumber is it doesn't keep very long especially at the moment when the weather is hot (actually hot in Britain!)and tends to end up a wasted wrinkled mess at the bottom of the fridge just when you want it so I tend to make sure that I am going to use the whole thing in cooked recipes as well as in sandwiches or salads. The other thing that I found really good about cucumber is how good it is for cooling a babies gums when teething. My youngest son cut his teeth on a cool cucumber which at the same time was good for him.


28 Jul 14 - 09:04 AM (#3645911)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

I like adding cucumber sliced thin into a clear soup and when I worked in Shanghai style restaurant in grad school, Mr. Shu made the nicest salad...

peel & seed the cuke, then slice lengthwise... salt and lay out to drain for 1/2 hour. then rinse and cut into thin slices. sprinkle with white or rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame seed oil then mix well. serve with a sprinkle of green onion on top.

for a fancy presentation, drain & then marinate the cuke before you slice... keep the cuke halves whole until just before serving - slice it up but keep the pieces all together on a tray of lettuce leaves. make a final drizzle of sesame oil & garnish with green onion.

Hacked chicken is great when served over a bed of bean thread noodles covered with spicy sesame sauce ( you can use peanut butter instead of tahini) and topped with shredded lettuce and slivered cucumber.


28 Jul 14 - 09:14 AM (#3645917)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,leeneia

Let's not forget the obvious. Peel the cuke or peel it partway, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into chunks. Add to tuna salad or chicken salad.

thanks for the memories, Penny, Patsy and sciencegeek.


28 Jul 14 - 10:31 AM (#3645941)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

LOL... for sure.. adding chunk tuna to green salad loaded with fresh or marinated vegetables is lovely. use Italian style or vinegrette for the dressing.

other styles of cuke salad:

slice peeled cukes, add thinly sliced sweet onion and sour cream or yogurt.. refrigerate and serve with dark rye bread.

a German style - thinly slice the cukes, drain well, add white vinegar, sugar and a generous pinch of dill weed.

one popular use of cukes is as one of the items used for a crudite platter... broccoli & cauliflower tips, sliced carrots, celery, cukes with a ranch style dressing for dipping. fresh sliced mushrooms is a nice touch, as well.


28 Jul 14 - 01:16 PM (#3646007)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Cukes- I am leaving this thread. The posts by sciencegeek and Leeneia
are making me ill.


28 Jul 14 - 05:18 PM (#3646089)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: sciencegeek

poor Q... I'm sure there is some food that Q loves that we can't handle.   Mine is fava beans... well it's me they don't like. Can't digest them properly.

And I'll pass on raw fish & sushi... lol


28 Jul 14 - 08:46 PM (#3646146)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST

I've tried for 90 years to find a way that I don't like cucumbers but haven't found it yet. Raw cucumber with salt. In tossed salads. Cucumbers diced with tomatoes diced and with a mayonnaise base. I also like zucchini raw with salt fried and cooked


28 Jul 14 - 09:44 PM (#3646158)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,Louie Roy

I'm he guest that made the last post. Most of the time when I contact mudcat my mudcat name is deleted for some reason Louie Roy
    Hi, Louie - I sent you cookie reset information just now. I think I'll e-mail some cucumber seeds to Q. too....
    -Joe Offer-


28 Jul 14 - 11:05 PM (#3646169)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

You've been a guest for years, Louie, a welcome one with never a nasty remark.

Sciencegeek, I pass on raw fish and sushi too. We share a liking for zucchini.


29 Jul 14 - 06:42 AM (#3646245)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: billybob

The joy of summer is Pimms sitting in a deckchair with a good book ,but Pimms without cucumber doesn't work :-)

Wendy x


29 Jul 14 - 08:39 AM (#3646268)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

zucchini... lol the butt of many a joke.

a wonderful soup is made with zucchini, tomatoes, onions and sausage. add garlic, celery and oregano and simmer until tender and the flavors all meld together.   fresh Italian bread and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese makes a meal.

take small summer squash - green & yellow- and slice thin, along with a sweet onion. Place in foil along with a pat of butter, dill weed, salt & pepper and put on the back of the grill to cook. They steam up so nicely and folks keep looking for more.

the ones that grow into those huge monsters are still fine to use... peel, deseed and then grate into 1 cup containers to freese for later use in soups, stews or baking. Chocolate cake made with zucchini is so moist and tender and no hint of a vegetable taste.


29 Jul 14 - 10:44 AM (#3646308)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,crazy little woman

Thanks for the recipes, sciencegeek. I think I'll make that soup tomorrow.

Here's a link to a cucumber soup recipe:

http://parade.condenast.com/303888/dash/chilled-cucumber-lemon-soup/

On the way to it, I saw references to cucumber soup with avocado and with zucchini (or is it zuchinni? I can never remember.)

Googling 'cucumber soup recipe' would probably provide more ways to use the cucumber harvest.


29 Jul 14 - 01:36 PM (#3646369)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Herga Kitty

Just saw Bubblyrat's 6.12 post of 25 July and am glad I'm no longer young!

Kitty (from Harrow!)


31 Jul 14 - 10:46 AM (#3647014)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Louie Roy

If you try to find cucumber in the dictionary don't look under Q


31 Jul 14 - 10:58 AM (#3647017)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

LOL, Louie Roy


31 Jul 14 - 11:06 AM (#3647023)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: Ed T

I hate to bring up this, in case it leads to more related incudents.

Man Arrested For Masturbating In A Library While Holding A Cucumber In His Spare Hand.


No holds barred 


01 Aug 14 - 10:35 AM (#3647333)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

English/Armenian/burpless cucumbers are delightful and now the stores carry smaller versions that are better suited to take for lunch.

I loved the sandwiches I found in England, a fresh bagguette slatherd with Miracle Whip, thin sliced cukes and hard boiled eggs. I add fresh leaf lettuce or romaine to it and maybe have sliced tomatoes on the side.

munching on some right now... :)


01 Aug 14 - 11:06 AM (#3647342)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,Ed

sandwiches I found in England...slatherd with Miracle Whip

You won't find Miricle Whip in England, sciencegeek. I expect you mean Salad Cream?


01 Aug 14 - 11:18 AM (#3647348)
Subject: RE: BS: The Cucumber
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

it tasted just the same as Miracle Whip and had the same texture and color. It was definitely not mayonaise. hmmmm curious...

I looked at the Heinz product and am sure that is not what I had...