Cucumbers come in many colours under the sun
Arts/Life
Posted By Ted Meseyton, From the Garden
Posted 1 month ago
They don't all have to be green! Finally, a real white cucumber. Why there's even a superb yellow zucchini, but many gardeners and consumers are slow to change and still seem to prefer an all-green zucchini. Just keep in mind that tasty cukes and zucchini don't have to be green on the outside to be good.
White Pearl cucumber
Not all catalogues list it, but seeds are definitely available. I got mine from William Dam Seeds in West Flamborough near Dundas, Ont. The fruits are remarkably smooth skinned, mild and tasty. Ivory-white cylindrical cukes are 15 to 18 cm long.
During field trials, healthy White Pearl vines continued to produce long after a lot of other varieties had died off. Fruits are slow to become seedy and the flesh is sweet and crisp. Remember, all cucumber vines grown in full sun require adequate, daily watering and prefer a cool root system. Some mulching will help during hot, dry periods.
CUKES…THEY'RE READY TO PICKLE!
Each year, I receive numerous requests for refrigerator pickles. Maybe it's because they're so easy to make and so darn good tasting.
To make your own, here's the recipe. I received it from a late friend of mine, who has since gone on to her reward.
Place some well scrubbed, unpeeled cucumber slices on the bottom of an empty four litre ice cream pail. Cover the cuke slices with a single layer of sliced onions. Use about three times as many cuke slices as onion slices: i.e. a ratio of three times cukes to one time onion slices. If you dare to experiment, you might even add a few zucchini slices here and there with the cukes.
Mix the following ingredients together in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour hot brine over cucumbers.
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 (one-half) teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 (one-half) cup pickling salt
4 cups white vinegar
4 cups white sugar (or scant if you want them a little less sweet)
Once cooled, place covered pail in fridge and stir twice daily. Pickles are ready within a week to 10 days and keep well. I've even tasted them after three days. Make some frequently during fresh cucumber season. Sweet pickle lovers will beg for more. I know this recipe is loaded with sugar, so if you're diabetic, watch your limit.
BY THE WAY
…in a pinch, you can apply slices of raw, cold cucumber over a sunburn. Frequent changes with fresh cucumber slices will be required if the burn is severe.
Here I am, standing before a mirror and thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt. There's always a lot to be thankful for, so I take time to look for it.
This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie. My answering machine message will greet you with accordion music and is always on. So is my e-mail inbox at singinggardener@mts.net
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