It'll happen in the next few weeks. I'll drive up to our house and someone will have left a brown paper bag on our door step filled to the max with freshly harvested cucumbers, each the size of a small kayak. No note, no instructions or sentiments to me, just a monstrous bag of huge cucumbers from friends who know I'll give them a good home. Here's some "cuke" trivia for you.. The plant which has been cultivated for 3000 years is actually a fruit and in the gourd and melon family. Cucumbers are long and cylindrical in shape, and range in length from 3 inches to 2 feet. China is one of the largest producers of cucumbers in the world. Pick cucumbers that are firm and evenly shaped. Medium-size cucumbers are preferable to overly large specimens, which tend to be bitter and bland tasting and contain numerous hard seeds. They are best when used immediately but will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks if wrapped tightly in plastic. The cuke is also known for its astringent and soothing effects and cucumber extract has anti-inflammatory actions and skin tightening properties. Cucumbers are 96% water by weight. This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin A, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium, and most of the nutrition comes from the seeds!

So what to do with them. They're big in Mediterranean cuisine which is arguably one the healthiest diets for humans. For me, growing up they were used primarily in salad (with sour cream and dill) or simply as a garnish. They were cheap and remain that way to this day, meaning the price of this food will not be affected by the price of corn as is virtually everything else is. Small cukes remain my favorite to this day and coming up with new ways to enjoy the abandoned monster fruit left on my doorstep is fun.