Cucumbers - Vegetable/Fruit Summer Produce

➤ When: Cucumbers are available year-round, the peak season being May to August.

➤ What to Look For: These vegetables should be firm and turgid. Make sure they aren’t wrinkled because that means they aren’t fresh. (The exception is the Kirby pickle, which is used for dill and sweet pickles and is naturally wrinkled.)

➤ Why: I used to think cucumbers were mostly water and ate them mainly for their crunchy texture. I’ve since learned that cucumbers contain calcium, which makes me younger whenever I eat them.

➤ How to Use: Cucumbers are good raw, with dips, in salads, and on sandwiches. A cucumber salad—cucumbers marinated in your vinegar of choice with a little water—is light and refreshing. Cucumbers can also be used in sauces. Removing the peel is usually unnecessary for young cucumbers, which often have thin and delicate peels. However, in the supermarket (but not the farmers’ market), some cucumbers are waxed to keep moisture in, and these you’ll want to peel.

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p180'