            Recipes > Ingredient Archive > Cucumbers  Why Organic? Organic cucumbers are a healthy choice in more ways than one. They’re grown using sustainable methods that build rich soil, support vibrant field ecosystems, and keep potentially hazardous chemicals out of our environment and our food supply. We believe organic is the healthiest choice for people and the planet, and we think organic tastes better, too! Conventional cucumbers are coated with a petroleum-based wax that’s applied to retain the vegetable’s moisture and prolong its shelf life. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that develops produce rankings based on pesticide residues, ranks cucumbers #19 on their “dirtiest” produce list. If you do buy waxed cucumbers, always be sure to peel the skin.
• Chilled Cucumber and Lemongrass Soup It’s summertime and the weather is hot and sticky. What could be a more perfect antidote than crisp, juicy cucumbers? Delicious and refreshing, cucumbers can be served without much fuss — no need to heat up the kitchen to prepare this vegetable! If you’re lucky enough to have a vine or two in your garden, cucumbers are hard to beat when simply sliced and sprinkled with sea salt. Or check out our recipes above for some scrumptious ideas. The cucumber belongs to the same family as zucchini, watermelon, pumpkin, and other squashes. Believed to be native to India, they were first cultivated in Thailand almost 4,000 years ago. Historians speculate they were brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus.  Selecting Cucumbers
Cucumbers take many forms, but all varieties have a crisp texture and mild, pleasant taste that’s often described as “grassy.” You’re most likely to encounter just 2 basic varieties at the supermarket: common and English (hot house) cucumbers. Common slicing cucumbers are field grown, with smooth, dark green skins and tapering ends. They’re generally about 6 to 9 inches in length and are commonly coated with wax to prolong their shelf life. English cucumbers (also known as hot house or European cucumbers) are long, 12 to 20 inches in length, with very thin skins that can be ridged or smooth, depending on the variety. They’re considered seedless (or nearly so) and usually come tightly encased in plastic wrap. Some people find English cucumbers easier to digest because the seeds, such as they are, are very tiny and edible. They tend to be milder in flavor than field-grown varieties. Other cucumbers you might find in specialty stores or farmer’s markets include Armenian, an extra-long, often twisted cucumber with thin green skin that’s marked with paler green longitudinal grooves; and baby Persians, a small, slender, ridged cucumber that’s dark green in color and juicy-sweet in flavor. Pickling cucumbers, measuring about 4 inches in length with medium-to-dark green skin, tend to be a seasonal specialty appearing in the summer months. Working with cucumbers is so easy! Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin, if desired. To remove the seeds of common cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a small spoon, starting at one end and dragging the spoon to the other. Cucumbers are 96% water, so some recipes specify a preliminary salting and draining step to draw out their water and avoid diluting dressings. Cucumbers are available year-round, but they hit their flavorful peak in the summer. When it’s just too hot to cook, think moist, crunchy, undemanding cucumbers. You don’t need a stove and you’ll stay cool as… well, a cucumber! Refreshing and Nutritious 
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