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There are a number of common cucumber varieties—Armenian, English, lemon, Persian—that you may encounter. Not only will this guide help you identify cucumbers, but you’ll also get a few ideas on how to use them. One of the favorites is commonly found in crisp cucumber salads.
Which variety of cucumber is best?
33 of the Best Cucumber Varieties Slicing. Ashley. Burpless #26. Bush Champion. Dasher II. Diva. Early Pride. Fanfare. Long Green Improved. Marketer. Marketmore 76. Muncher. Pickling. Boston Pickling. Burpee Pickler. Bush Pickle. Calypso. Carolina. Fancipak. Homemade Pickles. Little Leaf H-19. National Pickling. Parisian. Pick a Bushel.
What is the sweetest type of cucumber?
By far the sweetest flavor youll find in any burpless English cucumber. This All-America Selections winner yields bumper crops of nearly seedless dark green 12″ fruits. Burpless, parthenocarpic fruit means they remain bitter-free and do not need outside pollination to set.
How do I know what kind of cucumbers I have?
Garden cucumbers have a thick skin and their seeds are not noticeable. Kirby cucumbers have a skin that is bumpier than other varieties and their seeds are often undetectable. Pay attention to the taste of the cucumber. Garden cucumbers have a mild taste but their skin is often bitter.
What are the long green cucumbers called?
The name says it all: the Long Green Improved is a large cucumber that produces luscious vegetables up to 12 inches. Introduced in 1842, “Long Green Improved” is one of the most widely used cucumbers for slicing and pickling.
What kind of cucumbers are mini cucumbers?
Gherkins. Best to pick: After growing only 2 or 3 inches long, these miniature cucumbers will be ready to be picked. Gherkins are short and stubby, with bumpy skin that tends to be a light shade of green.
What are the easiest cucumbers to grow?
17 Best Cucumber Varieties That are Easiest to Grow Bush Pickle (Pickling) Carolina (Fresh or Pickling Cucumber) Straight Eight (Slicing, Pickling) Sweet Success (Slicing) Marketer (Slicing Cucumber) National Pickling (Pickling) Dasher II (Slicing Cucumber) Fanfare (Space Saver).
Which cucumbers have the best flavor?
Kirby Cucumbers (Pickling Cucumbers) The flavor of these cucumbers is strong enough to enjoy raw or even use for making pickles. In fact, most of the cucumbers used for mainstream pickles are Kirby pickles in their variety of skin colors. They have the best flavor profile when they are around six to eight inches long.
Are Persian cucumbers the same as Lebanese cucumbers?
But similar cucumbers have long been prized in the Mideast, and so they’re often called “Lebanese cucumbers,” “Persian cucumbers,” etc. These have better flavor and texture than commercial slicing varieties, but they need to be wrapped in plastic to keep from drying out, and they’re not as tasty as Persian cucumbers.
Are Persian cucumbers the same as English cucumbers?
Persian and English cucumbers can be used interchangeably in any recipe I have ever come across. They are both thin-skinned enough to be served unpeeled, and both are nearly seedless. (Persian cucumbers may have a few seeds).
Are Mini Cucumbers Persian cucumbers?
These mini cucumbers are about 6 inches long and usually come packed in clamshells or bags and now can be found in most every supermarket across the country. They are called “Persian” cukes because these miniatures have long been popular with shoppers of Persian and most Middle Eastern descents.
What is the two types of cucumber?
Also known as a cuke, a cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a type of gourd that fruits green, cylindrical produce as it grows on a vine atop the ground. In terms of consumption, cucumbers fall into two main groups: slicing and pickling cucumbers.
Are Mini Cucumbers the same as Kirby cucumbers?
Kirby cucumbers are small, usually 6 inches long or less, with bumpy skins and firm flesh. English cucumbers are the long, semi-seedless variety that usually come wrapped in plastic if you buy them in the grocery store.
What is the difference between Lebanese and English cucumbers?
Similar to English cucumbers, plump Lebanese cucumber are a seedless variety of cucumber. However, they are not as long as the English varieties. Lebanese cucumbers are crunchy and tasty and are a good choice for slicing or pickling.
What are normal cucumbers called?
The cucumber you refer to as “regular” is the most common field-grown variety. Known as a slicing cucumber, it ranges in size from 6 to 9 inches, and its dark-green skin is usually waxed to prevent moisture loss.
Why are they called Lebanese cucumbers?
Lebanese cucumbers are small, smooth-skinned and mild tasting. In Australia, he said, this type of cucumber was attributed to the Lebanese community because migrants from Lebanon were the first to bring the seeds from their country and began planting them in their backyards.
What’s the difference between salad cucumbers and Mini Cucumbers?
Mini Cucumbers typically grow to be 4-6 inches long, while Cocktail Cucumbers are half that size, measuring in at around 2 ½ inches long.
Are Mini Cucumbers and pickling cucumbers the same thing?
Mini-cucumbers are typically picked and eaten or preserved when they are about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm) long. Pickling cucumbers have thinner skin than that of standard cukes, and it tends to be less bitter. Standard cucumbers have thicker skin that gives them a longer shelf life, so they last longer when stored.
What kind of cucumbers are cocktail cucumbers?
Iznik cucumbers are a type of cocktail cucumber so they are quite small and thin-skinned. They are spineless and usually only get to three or four inches long. They are seedless and delicious as well.