Cucumbers have a definite taste and a crunch to them. Are they as good nutritionally as they taste?
Cucumbers contain mostly water, so they are good for hydration in this hot weather.. They have anti-inflammatory qualities, and a good amount of vitamin C.and guess what The skins and seeds have more nutrition than the flesh! They’re also a good source of fiber which as you know helps our digestive system work properly.
Tips
They can be grown in the ground or in containers. In containers, you’ll have to water and fertilize a bit more, but either works well. They like a sunny location. The reason you put them into hills is they have a long root and also the hills act like a sort of reverse trellis, allowing the vines to tumble down gently over the hills. Water is important since they are mostly water so to keep production up, water well and frequently.
What about the wax - can it be removed?
Well If you buy organic cucumbers they may have a non-synthetic wax which is safe to eat. Regular cucumbers that are waxed are best peeled, even though the wax used is food safe. I like to make a solution of equal amounts of clear vinegar and water for hard skin veggies like cucumbers. It won’t remove the wax but does remove bacteria and toxins.
FREEZER BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES
I have friends who are passionate about these bread & butter type freezer pickles. The right mix of sweet and tangy flavors and a whole lot of crunch! My sister, Sonia, gave me this recipe years ago. She told me to make lots because everybody loves them! Can be divided
Ingredients
•2 quarts thinly sliced Kirby, pickling or English cucumbers
•1 red onion, thinly sliced
•1 small bell pepper, chopped
•1 cup shredded carrots
•3 tablespoons salt
•1 tablespoon celery seed
•2 teaspoons mustard seed
•1-1/2 cups cider vinegar, 5% acid
•3 cups sugar
Instructions
1.Combine cucumbers, onion, pepper and carrots. Stir in salt, celery and mustard seed.
2.Mix vinegar and sugar together. Pour over cucumber mixture. Stir to combine. Sugar will not dissolve all the way.
3.Cover and refrigerate three days, stirring each day. This allows sugar to dissolve completely.
4.Leaving 1” headspace, pack in freezable containers, making sure the pickles are covered in juice. Seal and freeze up to six months.
Yield: Approximately 1-1/2 quarts. (Pickles seem to “shrink” a bit during pickling.
WASHTUB PICKLES
One of my readers sent this in to me several years ago. Her Dad made big batches of these in the laundry tub, so I named them “Washtub Pickles”. These are easy enough for a child to make.
Pickles:
Mix together:
3 quarts thinly sliced cucumbers
2 cups thinly sliced or chopped bell peppers - can be green, red, yellow, whatever
2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 cups chopped or thinly sliced carrots - can use already grated carrots
Brine:
Mix together:
2 tablespoons celery seed
3 cups sugar
1/3 cup salt
2 cups white vinegar
Pour brine over veggies. Let sit several hours on counter, stirring every once in a while. Store in frig.