There are scallops or pattypans, flat and scalloped around the edges; crooknecks and straight necks, with constricted stem ends; elongated vegetable marrows, or zucchinis; acorn squash; and distinctive Middle Eastern and Asian types as well Some are greenskinned, some vibrantly yellow with carotenoid pigments, some variegated, and all have a pale, delicately spongy flesh that softens quickly when cooked They’re sweetest when picked young, and keep for a few weeks at 45–50ºF/7–10ºC Cucumbers The cucumber was domesticated in India around 1500 BCE, arrived in the Mediterranean region about a thousand years later, and is now the second most important cucurbit worldwide after the watermelon Like the watermelon, cucumbers are notable for their crisp, moist, mild, refreshing character They’re mainly consumed raw or pickled, and sometimes juiced to make a delicately flavored liquid for use in salad dressings, poaching fish, and other procedures The distinctive yet melon-like aroma of cucumbers develops when the flesh is cut or chewed, and comes from the action of enzymes that break long membrane fatty-acid molecules into smaller chains that are carbon atoms long; the characteristic melon fragments are alcohols, the cucumber fragments aldehydes The larger a cucumber grows, the lower its acidity and the higher its modest sugar content (1–2%) Cucumber Types There are five broad groups of cucumber varieties Middle Eastern and Asian types are relatively small and thin American pickling varieties are either smaller or slower-growing than “slicing” varieties, and have a thin skin to ease the penetration of brine The standard American slicing cucumbers have been bred for the rigors of field production and long-distance ... poaching fish, and other procedures The distinctive yet melon-like aroma of cucumbers develops when the flesh is cut or chewed, and comes from the action of enzymes that break long membrane fatty-acid... carbon atoms long; the characteristic melon fragments are alcohols, the cucumber fragments aldehydes The larger a cucumber grows, the lower its acidity and the higher its modest sugar content (1 –2%)... “slicing” varieties, and have a thin skin to ease the penetration of brine The standard American slicing cucumbers have been bred for the rigors of field production and long-distance