FRESH HARVEST

Cool and green as the new season itself, the cucumber — a fruit by the way — proves to be as versatile as any other ingredient in everything from cocktails to desserts

Fill in the blank: Cool as a ______? The answer: A cucumber, of course. Cucumbers contain the highest percentage of water of any fruit (with bananas containing the lowest, by the way). But aren't they a vegetable, you might ask? Botanically speaking, no. Because they develop from the reproductive structure of plants, and contain their own seeds (same as tomatoes, the other produce item that is ever in debate), cucumbers are technically members of the fruit gang. They belong to the family of gourds, along with squash, melons, zucchini and pumpkins. Legendary for growing at a rapid rate - think of what inspired the tale Jack and the Beanstalk - vine-growing plants often yield huge crops, to the point of overwhelming, even mythic, abundance. In season, cucumbers grow as if to take over the world. The largest recorded was in Australia, weighing 59 pounds. In length, they range from three inches to three feet long, most often cylindrical in shape with a dark green peel around a watery-green mass. The two most familiar kinds of cucumber are English - which have a thin, edible peel and a seedless interior - and slicers - the traditional "supermarket" cucumber, possessing thicker and tougher skin and a core of wet, juicy seeds. A third sort, known as picklers, often have a bumpy skin and are usually enjoyed in the form of gherkins or Koshers - or more familiarly, pickles.

MANY ATTRIBUTES, MANY USES
Though less nutritious than most fruit, cucumbers do provide Vitamin C and potassium. In addition, the silica contained in the peel is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bone. In terms of beauty, silica lends itself to clear skin and healthy hair, which is the reason cucumber is such a common ingredient in lotions, creams and shampoos. Add to that the fruit's hydrating properties, and anti-inflammatory ascorbic and caffeic acids, and you will understand why cucumbers are often applied as soothing masks to refresh, lower temperature and reduce swelling. Enter the picture seen many times of model in white robe and headband, eyes concealed behind two cucumber slices placed there like goggles. Cucumbers give that spa look. They appear fresh, crisp and clean, which is exactly what they're used for in cuisine, both visually and flavorfully.

REFRESHING HISTORY
The cucumber is believed to be native to India and to have been cultivated for 3,000 years. It traveled next to Greece and Italy, then on into China. Very likely it was the Romans who spread its popularity throughout the rest of Europe, with records dating the crop to the 9th Century in France, the 14th in England, and on to North America by the mid 1500s. Wending and winding like the vine on which they sprout, cucumbers worked their way into the gardens and kitchens of the world to become the popular crop and ingredient they are today.

IN THE KITCHEN
Despite the fact that they are most useful or tastiest when raw, marinated or pickled, not cooked, cucumbers are still versatile. They lend themselves to fresh herbs - in particular dill, tarragon and mint - and to vinegar, yogurt, salt, sugar and cream. Because of their inherent lush snap, cucumber pairs well with mushy foods, or foods lacking in significant texture, like crab and fish. Tuna tartar, for example, is often stacked on a chopped cucumber salad or wrapped, as it is at Chops Steakhouse in Bonita Springs, where big eye tuna tartar with a fried ginger-glazed rock shrimp salad is wrapped in cucumber and served with carrot-ginger miso. In addition, the cooling and refreshing properties of cucumber make
it a natural for counteracting spicy foods, which is why it's popular in Thai, Indian and other Southeast Asian meals, to pair with dishes haunted by fiery chili peppers.
One common example is the Indian raita,
or rayta, a condiment used as a sauce or dip. Based on yogurt, most raitas contain cucumbers (yogurt-plus-cucumber adds up to double cool), as well as added seasonings of mint, cumin, cilantro, onion and any number of other herbs or spices. Another cooling balm may come in the form of a lassi, or yogurt-based drink, which may also have cucumber blended in for added refreshment and relief.
In Thai cuisine, cucumbers feature in side dishes that will often contain acidity, like lime juice or vinegar, or the pungent tang of nam pla, Thai fish sauce. Further East in Japan, where the cuisine is mild, cucumbers are used more for crunch, color and versatility, as in, for example, "maki" or sushi rolls. In addition to cucumber rolls themselves ("kappa maki"), cucumbers plump many vegetable, seafood and specialty rolls. At the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, the Cornell Café adds cucumber to two "American style" sushi rolls: the vegetarian (avocado, cucumber, carrots and mayonnaise inside out with sesame seeds) and the California (cucumber, avocado and surimi crab). Other Japanese restaurants serve chilled sake in cucumber "cups."
Similar to the raita is Greek "tzatziki" or "tsatsiki," an appetizer as well as a sauce or dip. Tzatziki is made from strained yogurt (yogurt with most of the water drained out, so it is as thick as a spread), which in Greece and nearby Turkey would usually be of sheep or goat's milk. Variations are also found in Bulgaria, Iraq, Iran and in Jewish and Middle Eastern kitchens, but the basic preparation is that cucumber, either pureed and strained or seeded and finely diced, is added to the yogurt, along with onion and garlic (lots, in the case of the Greek sort), a dash of olive oil and occasionally fresh herbs like dill or mint. Any of the restaurants in the Greek enclave of Tarpon Springs, north of Clearwater Beach, such as Yianni's Greek and Seafood Restaurant, Mykonos or Hellas offer tzatziki with wedges of pita as a satisfying first course or an accompaniment to savory dishes like soutzoukakia (ground beef and Greek herbs charbroiled on a stick) and patatokeftedes (pan-fried Greek potato pancakes). Another presentation of the cucumber you'll find at these restaurants? A classic Greek salad. Containing no lettuce in its pure form, a Greek salad is a toss of tomatoes, garlic, lemon, olives, feta cheese, red onion, peppers, sea salt, and, of course, cucumbers, slicked in olive oil.
Those in northern Europe also incorporate cucumbers into their standard fare. The Scandinavians slice them paper thin, toss with sugar, dill and white vinegar and serve with smoked fish, like salmon and mackerel, as a foil to the fish oils. Central Europeans serve similar pickled cucumbers, with onion and dill, alongside hearty meat dishes. Spanish whirl cucumber into gazpacho. English serve cucumber sandwiches at high tea. The French add cucumbers to soups, such as vichyssoise (traditionally a leek and potato soup, which can be sipped warm or chilled). Belgian-born chef Michel Atlas of Café Provence in Santa Rosa Beach offers a cucumber vichyssoise on his menu, for example. And chef Dominique Falkner of the Westin Sunset Key in Key West, born in Lyon, France, loves fresh, cold cucumber soups during warm summer months, but has recently added a new twist: cucumber spaghetti salad. "You need to use a small mandoline to get the cucumbers right," he says, "then, you toss it with a tomato confit for sweetness and color, and a yogurt tzatziki dressing, a coulis of mint and either a marinated ceviche-style fish on top or a grilled diver scallop and voila! You have a dramatic, colorful dish that is also delicious."

CHEERS TO GREEN
If soup allows one to drink the day's fruits and vegetables, why not go one step further and make it a cocktail? Ah, finally! The cucumber martini is all the rage these days - light, refreshing and not too sweet. A classic service is found at Cielo Garden & Superclub in North Miami, serving Nuevo Latin cuisine, where cucumber, mint and a hint of fresh ginger infuse Grey Goose vodka. Or, sip a "Chu-tini" at SushiSamba Dromo in Miami Beach, which mixes shochu, a Japanese spirit, instead of vodka, Licor 43, muddled cucumber, sugar and fresh lime juice. For liquor purists, Hendrick's Gin is infused with cucumber and rose petals for an unexpected yet smooth taste.
Who would have known a common fruit could look this sleek and get into all the best bars and clubs? Once again, the cucumber proves its versatility.