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MichaelMeckler.com: Blog: Food on Friday: Fresh cukes

Food on Friday: Fresh cukes

31 JULY 2014

Although powdery mildew has pretty much claimed the zucchini, the cucumbers in the garden are going strong, and I'm now harvesting a couple of them each day (if the critter doesn't get to them first).

I didn't buy any new seeds this year, deciding to use up what I had. And what I had are pickling varieties, like Boston Pickling and Eclipse, as well as the all-purpose Straight Eight, which, as you can see in this photo, I tend to pick at pickling size (about 4 inches).

Although I plant pickling varieties, I haven't pickled cucumbers in several years. I might make freezer pickles, but usually the cucumbers are enjoyed fresh, cut lengthwise into eight wedges and served with cherry tomatoes (also from the garden) as crudites.

And this is the time to enjoy them. Cucumbers tend to be hardier than zucchini at fending up powdery mildew, but I'll probably get only a month of harvest before these plants, too, succumb.

 

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