John Myers
The mini cucumber is a small variant of the cucumber and belongs to the gourd family. The plant is annual, decumbent, and grows climbing one to four meters long. It is bristly and stiffly hairy, the leaves are stalked and also hairy. Green, small and slender, this is how the mini cucumber comes to us on the market with a length of only 15-18 cm and a maximum weight of 250 g. The flesh is light green, the white seeds are barely perceptible. If the skin turns yellow, the ends become soft, the cucumber has wrinkles or bruises, this is a sign of spoilage.
Origin
The cucumber plants are traced to a wild species found in northern India with bitter, small fruits. Already in ancient times they came to the west, where they were already cultivated in several varieties. As the cucumber is found today, it comes from breeding work that began as early as 1900 in the Netherlands. The mini cucumber is part of the standard culture in the greenhouse.
Season
Domestic mini cucumbers are available from early summer to late autumn (April to November). In the winter months, the mini cucumbers on offer mostly come from overseas. Mini cucumbers are also cultivated in the greenhouse today.
Taste
Mini cucumbers taste pleasantly sweet and have a very distinctive and intense cucumber aroma.
Use
The cucumber is cut into fine slices and used in salads – such as our apple salad – or directly with a snack, e.g. B. in the office, enjoyed.
Storage
The mini cucumber will keep in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for up to a week.
