Generally in-season: July to September
English and Field Cucumbers
Ever heard the saying, “As cool as a cucumber”? It turns out that even in hot weather the insides of cucumbers are 10-20 degrees cooler than their outsides! In the same family as melons and squash, the cucumber is grown on a sprawling creeping vine. There are over a hundred cucumber varieties that are grown around the world, but the two most typical types are field cucumbers and the English cucumber. These two cucumbers fall in the “slicer” category of cucumbers since they can be easily eaten as is. Not to be mistaken with pickling cucumbers which are prickly and more bitter.
So what’s the difference?
The field cucumber is shorter, fatter, with a thicker skin, and has larger seeds. This cucumber is often de-seeded before eating as the seeds can taste bitter. Even though they take a bit of extra prep work people often prefer the more flavourful taste.
The English cucumber is typically darker green, longer, and more slender, with fewer seeds. There’s no need to remove the seeds from this variety. English cucumbers are typically wrapped in plastic to protect their thin skin from bumps and tears. Since the cucumbers from Danbie Farms are truly field to table we don’t use plastic wrap!
While these varieties are similar in appearance, there are differences which make them unique in the way they are prepared and consumed. Either way, these tasty vegetables are nutrient-rich, crisp, refreshing and cool and can be sliced as a snack, added as a complement to a variety of dishes, or star as the main attraction. We especially like to enjoy cool cucumber soup over the summer at Danbrie Farms.