Ever wonder where the expression “cool as a cucumber” originated? Apparently, a certain John Gay penned a poem titled “New Song on New Similes” in 1732. His poem begins, “My passion is as mustard strong,” and goes on to say, “If Molly were but kind; cool as a cucumber could see the rest of womankind.” Gay is also purported to have used the expression in “The Beggar’s Opera”, which he penned even earlier, in 1728, including the phrase, “But, in the mean time, I’ll be as cool as a cucumber.”
The connection to cucumbers is thought to stem from the impression that cucumbers are cool to the touch, even in hot weather, given their high water content. (I beg to differ on this, as in my experience, a cucumber that has been left in the sun is as hot as any other vegetable or fruit.) In any case, the image of someone who is calm, composed, and unbothered by any situation is good enough for me, even if that is not my general state.
Cucumbers are in the Cucurbitaceae (squash, or gourd) family, along with some 965 (depending on who you ask) species worldwide. Summer months give us many opportunities to turn the fruit in question into a dish, or several. A good source of potassium, you can eat as many as you can handle, unless you have a sensitivity to cucurbitacin (the bitter compound concentrated at either end of the fruit).
Here are a few standbys to get you started, skipping the obvious pickles.
Green Gazpacho
A refreshing contrast to the standard red gazpacho, try serving them both side by side if you want a double wow factor.
Ingredients:
- 1 or 2 large cucumbers
- 1 medium onion (you can use the tops too if you’d like)
- ½ green bell pepper (a whole one might lend too much bitterness)
- 1 avocado (optional)
- A few slices of honeydew melon if you want a bit of sweetness
- A few cloves of garlic to taste, or a ramp if you kept any in your freezer after the spring harvest
- Several sprigs of fresh tarragon (or cilantro if you prefer that flavor profile)
- Juice of half a lemon, or a splash of white wine vinegar
- ½ jalapeno, seeded (optional)
- Olive oil (optional) to bind
- Salt & white pepper to taste
Preparation:
Wash and dice all ingredients and throw them in a blender, a few handfuls at a time. Blend until smooth, and adjust salt and acidity. Chill well, and serve if you wish with a sliver of cucumber on top, or a very fine dice of any of the ingredients.
Cucumber Canapés
Excellent front porch food, begging for personalization, these appetizers can be prepared in advance, with the help of children if they are underfoot.
Ingredients:
- 1 large cucumber
Filling or topping of choice, some options being:
- Cream cheese
- Smoked salmon
- Tuna
- Feta
- Olive tapenade
- Hard-boiled egg slivers
Preparation:
Wash or peel your cucumber. If you wish, you can peel lengthwise, leaving stripes of skin on for a zebra effect. Slice into ¼-inch to 1-inch rounds, depending on preference. If using thicker rounds, you can scoop out some of the center with a spoon to hold more filling. Mix any combination of above ingredients, or use them one by one. Add a squeeze of lemon if you wish, and a sprig of dill or mint or tarragon to garnish. A nasturtium flower would add some extra color. Serve as an appetizer on a hot day.
Cucumber & Mint Salad
Frequently served at the French family table to preface a meal, this is one of the most simple and appealing flavor combinations of summer.
Ingredients:
- 1 or several cucumbers, depending on size and number of guests
- Several sprigs of mint
- White wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt & white pepper
Preparation:
Peel and slice cucumbers very thinly. Toss in vinaigrette, prepared with the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let sit for a bit in the refrigerator so that the flavor of the vinaigrette seeps in to the cucumbers. Just before serving, add the finely chopped mint. (If chopped too early, mint will turn black.)
Cucumber Sandwiches, of course!
When I was a child, my grandmother would prepare these delicate sandwiches for road trips. They always seemed somewhat exotic to me (we were usually not allowed white bread, much less bread with the crusts removed), so they hold a special place in my heart, as does most grandmother-prepared food.
Ingredients:
- 1 or more cucumbers
- Sliced white bread or sourdough white
- Cream cheese or mayonnaise, or a combination of the two
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
Peel and slice cucumbers thinly, as for the cucumber salad. Remove crusts from slices of bread (this, of course, is optional, but adds to the delicateness of the sandwich). Spread bread with a thin layer of cream cheese and/or mayonnaise (I prefer just cream cheese), being careful not to tear the bread. Top with cucumber slices, salt slightly, and top with another slice of bread, also spread with your ingredient of choice. Cut sandwiches carefully into halves or quarters, on the diagonal. Savor with a sauvignon blanc, or your favorite white, if you have some on hand.
About the author: Susi Gott Séguret, CCP, CSW, hails from the depths of Appalachia in Madison County, North Carolina, but honed her culinary skills in France, where she resided for over 20 years, earning a diploma in Gastronomy and Taste from the Cordon Bleu and the Université de Reims. Author of several cookbooks including Appalachian Appetite, and Cooking with Truffles, Susi orchestrates multiple sensory experiences including the Seasonal School of Culinary Arts, the Asheville Truffle Experience, and the Appalachian Culinary Experience. Passionate about elements of taste and style, and how they extend from our palate into our daily lives, Susi strives to blend food, music, words and images into a tapestry for the senses. For more details, visit quintessentialtable.com.