Looking for some simple ways to beat the heat? It’s all about attitude. So when you can’t get to the beach, there’s no swimming pool, and the air conditioner isn’t working, think cooling thoughts, wear loose clothing, and above all, eat cooling foods. Assuredly, you will be “as cool as a cucumber.”
Even though that familiar idiom refers to a calm, imperturbable, “cool” state of mind, cucumbers are at the head of a list of foods that help to lower body temperature. Broccoli, celery, melons and radishes, as well as smoothies, various cold soups and even grilled fish will all help to cool you down in hot weather, but none of them is as refreshing and effective as a cucumber.
So the question now becomes, which variety of cucumber do I choose?
It used to be easy. For as long as I can remember, the garden variety, or common cucumber was the only cucumber offered at supermarkets. Available throughout the year, this field-grown member of the gourd family has large seeds and a fairly thick skin that is somewhat bitter. Cucumbers, in general, contain a chemical that makes them bitter and hard to digest. Garden cucumbers are usually waxed, which tends to hold in moisture and extend shelf life, but waxed or unwaxed, the thick, bitter peel should definitely be removed before serving. The large seeds, which can be problematic for anyone with stomach problems, should also be removed.
A smaller, shorter cucumber with bumpy, yellowish skin known as the Kirkby cucumber is best for pickles and is usually available during the fall season.
Even more popular than the common garden cucumber is the English or “Burpless cucumber.” Also available year-round, this cucumber is prized for its thin skin and minimal soft seeds. It comes shrink-wrapped in plastic and is a bit pricier, but since there’s no need to remove the skin or seeds, there’s less work involved. This is the one I use for cucumber sandwiches.
Numerous other varieties are available today, usually found at ethnic and specialty markets or at farmers markets. The ones I look for are the Japanese cucumber, as mild and delicious as the English variety but with a bumpy skin; the lemon cucumber, most often served raw, but also good for pickles, which has a delicate, full flavor that’s sweeter than all the other varieties; and finally, the Mediterranean or Persian cucumber, similar to the Japanese variety, but much smaller.
As to the aforementioned cucumber sandwiches, I find them to be one of the more refreshing items to have on a hot summer day.
Frank Chlumsky, former executive chef of Philander’s restaurant in Oak Park, teaches in Chicago at Kendall College’s School of Culinary Arts. In his 35-year career, Frank has owned restaurants in Michigan City, Ind., and in Lake Geneva, Wisc. He has also been executive chef at the Saddle & Cycle Club in Chicago. Frank lives in Forest Park, where he cooks for pleasure.