Cool as

WHETHER YOU EAT THEM FRESH IN SALADS OR SANDWICHES OR PICKLE THEM AS GHERKINS, CUCUMBERS ARE THE PERFECT SUMMER TREAT

- Chloe Thomson

Eating crisp, juicy and refreshing cucumbers straight from the vine and warmed by the summer sun is a summer treat.

I love that this humble, ancient veg has made a comeback as gardeners discover the joy of growing and eating heirloom varieties in different shapes, colours and sizes.

At the supermarket or local greengrocer, you’re likely to spot just two different types of cucumbers — continental and Lebanese — but step into the world of heirlooms and you’ll be swamped for choice.

Cucumbers originated from India where the bitter fruiting vines thrived in the subtropical climate. Around the 7th century in China and Japan they started to breed the long green cucumbers we would recognise.

The Greeks and Romans were the first Europeans to cultivate the cucumber and records show them being pickled in the “bread-and-butter” style we still love today.

When the English discovered they could grow this refreshing, sun-loving crop in a greenhouse, it was soon adored by those wealthy enough to have such elaborate garden buildings — and so the English love of cucumber sandwiches was born.

Today, we enjoy cucumbers in more than just salads and sandwiches. With the rise in popularity of pickling and fermenting, varieties like ‘Parisian Pickling’ and ‘National Pickling’, as their names imply, are perfect for pickling and readily available as seeds.

Cucumbers are healthy eating and small bite-sized beauties like ‘Mexican Sour Gherkin’, ‘Crystal Apple’ and ‘Richmond Green Apple’ are a must for those who love them as refreshing and healthy snacks on the go.