Cucumber

Harvested

(rough estimate due to natural conditions {weather, pests etc})

July & August cucumber-slices

Benefits of Cucumber

Keeps you hydrated. If you are too busy to drink enough water, munch on the cool cucumber, which is 96 percent water.
Fights heat, both inside and out. Eat cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn and itchy skin.
Flushes out toxins. All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your system. With regular use, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.
Nourishes you with vitamins. A B and C, which boost immunity, give you energy and keep you radiant. Give it more power by juicing cucumber with carrot and spinach.
Supplies skin-friendly minerals: magnesium, potassium, silicon. That’s why cucumber-based treatments are popular in spas.
Aids in weight loss. Enjoy cucumbers in your salads and soups.
Revives the eyes. Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really helps reduce under-eye bags and puffiness.
Cuts cancer risk. Cut down your risk of several cancers by including cucumber in your diet. Several studies show its cancer-fighting potential.
Stabilizes blood pressure. Patients that struggle with blood pressure, both high and low, often find that eating cucumber brings relief.
Refreshes the mouth. Cucumber juice refreshes and heals diseased gums, leaving your mouth smelling good.
Smooths hair and nails. Silica, the wonder mineral in cucumber makes your hair and nails stronger and shinier.
Soothes muscle and joint pain. All those vitamins and minerals in cucumber make it a powerful enemy of muscle and joint pain.
Keeps kidneys in shape. Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your system, keeping the kidneys happy.
Good for diabetics. Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits: cucumber contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.
Reduces cholesterol.

…taken from Care2

Storage Tips

Store cucumbers in the hydrator drawer of your fridge for up to 1 week.
Sliced cucumbers deteriorate very quickly.

Culinary Tips

the key to cooking with cucumbers – lightly warming them through rather than cooking the vegetable for long periods of time over a high heat means it will retain a crunchy texture.

‘Cucumbers are great for cooking with – just cut them into cubes or batons then throw them into a stir-fry or serve with pulses like lentils,’ ‘They add crunch, flavour and colour.

You can caramelise cucumber; cut it into a square and then just stick it onto a hot grill or pan. It gets this wonderful seared edge that adds plenty of texture. They’re not just for salads.

…..chef Dominic Chapman