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NATIONAL CUCUMBER DAY | June 14
National Day Calendar ^ | June 14, 2024 | Staff

Posted on 06/14/2024 6:36:52 AM PDT by Red Badger

NATIONAL CUCUMBER DAY

Today is June 14 and National Cucumber Day at National Day Calendar and we are enjoying fresh cucumbers all day long! Join us as we crunch on this crisp summer favorite and enjoy the fruits of summer.

#NATIONALCUCUMBERDAY

You can almost taste the crisp, watery goodness of a cucumber during the summer months. With fresh fruits and vegetables at our fingertips, we feel very little guilt indulging in this salad favorite. Whether we grow them in our garden or purchase them at a local farmers market, we love the freshness a cucumber adds to our diets.

Most people think cucumbers are a vegetable. In fact, they are actually a fruit in the watermelon family Cucurbitaceae. Cucumbers are normally a long and have a cylindrical shape, and are grown in different sizes. There are also around 100 different types of cucumbers around the world.

Most cucumbers have green flesh with a white inside. The Lemon Cucumber has yellow skin and a tart taste. However, the Albino cucumber is a rare heirloom cucumber grown by seed savers. A seed saver is someone who saves seeds year-to-year and prevents cross-pollination with another seed variety.

Crunchy History

Cucumbers have been cultivated for nearly 3,000 years originating in Asia. It is unclear how or when cultivation was introduced to Ancient Greek and Roman Empires, but records show both upper and lower class people of those times were cultivating cucumbers as part of their diet. Europeans would bring cucumbers to the U.S. some time during exploration. Benjamin Watson's Heirloom Vegetables book stated "in 1539 DeSoto found Indians in Florida growing cucumbers that were "better than those of Spain.""

How do you eat cucumbers? Cucumbers are a common salad food. However, cucumbers are a main ingredient in the puree of gazpacho soup. In addition, tea houses in Britain serve cucumber sandwiches with tea because its lightness pairs well with afternoon tea.

Though most people slice cucumbers and eat them in salads, many people use them for pickling. Pickling possibly dates back as far as the Mesopotamians who would preserve cucumbers in a brine solution. Today, Americans consumer almost 10 pounds of pickles per person in one year! Unsurprisingly, Kosher dill pickles have been a favorite among households since the 19th century thanks to Eastern European Jews emigrating to the U.S.

7 Cucumber Facts

Placing sliced cucumber on your tongue for a few minutes will eliminate bad breath.

Cucumbers reduce and ease face swelling, especially around the eye area.

Boiling sliced cucumbers releases a natural stress reducer into the air.

Cucumbers are 95% water, which make them a great substitute for hydration.

The waxy coating of a cucumber will erase a pen on anything.

Eating cucumbers before bed after a night of too many adult beverages will help your body recover from a hangover the next day.

Pureeing cucumber and applying it to a sunburn provides instant relief.

A NATIONAL CUCUMBER DAY CELEBRATION

Visit a local farmer to learn about growing cucumbers.

Add cucumbers to your salad or eat them alone.

Learn about the health benefits of cucumbers.

Share your cucumber recipes on social media and tag #NationalCucumberDay.

CREATOR OF NATIONAL CUCUMBER DAY

National Day Calendar created National Cucumber Day in 2023 to celebrate the refreshing taste of cucumbers all day long! We want everyone to enjoy the little things in life and today's National Day is delicious celebration honoring another food holiday.

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TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; History
KEYWORDS:
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To: Red Badger

My cukes just now have flowers on them.


21 posted on 06/14/2024 9:03:45 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mariner

Our vines are dying now, as have the squashes. Time to plant the second garden..............


22 posted on 06/14/2024 9:08:43 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Dr. Franklin

Sometimes a cucumber is JUST a cucumber! ;)


23 posted on 06/14/2024 10:07:43 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Red Badger

I did not know, but I did just put together about a 1/2 gallon of Mexican style Shrimp cocktail with a cucumber chopped up in it. Literally the only time we use cucumbers in this house. Cucumber gags the wife, so she gets some cut out in a separate container before the cucumber and cilantro get put in. More for Me!


24 posted on 06/14/2024 3:46:10 PM PDT by DAC21
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