August 27, 2024 – Ann is in OurLitteCorner today
cucumbers and toilets
The WaPo recently ran an article entitled “Can you get sick from the germs in toilet plumes?” I am much more concerned about whether you can sick from veggies grown in old, discarded toilets. Below is a photo taken by our Brooklyn grandson, Silas, showing us his backyard vegetable garden. What you can see are the cucumber seeds just sprouting in the toilet bowl. Would YOU want to eat those cucumbers when they’re produced?
Though I’d probably pass on those particular cucs, I have to confess that I’m a huge cucumber fan. So is TikTok’s Logan, better known as the “Cucumber Salad Guy.” Even if you’re not a TikTok aficionado, let me suggest you look at a couple of his cucumber videos. It’s where it’s at (and my two grandsons verify that).
It’s amazing the fun stuff you can learn about cucumbers by an online search. For example, here’s a video from Macka B, giving us a Jamaican’s take on the medical benefits of the “cucumba.”
And here’s a cucumber being used as an ocarina, a kind of flute-like instrument. Who would have thought to do that, except maybe Junji Koyama (who has about 28,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel)?
It’s a given that our recipes for today feature cucumbers. We’ve got a more detailed version of Logan’s recipe and we’ve got a new favorite of mine, which comes from a great food blog – The Woks of Life (such a clever name!). Judy, the matriarch of the Woks of Life family wrote on the recipe that “according to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), cucumber cleanses and detoxifies, it helps reduce high blood pressure, and, with its “cooling” element, also eases the internal heat of the body.” I’m in!
Logan's Creamy Cucumber Salad
- 1 whole English cucumber – or 3 Persian cucumbers – sliced on mandoline
- 1/3 c full-fat yogurt (Skyr is Logan’s recommended brand)
- juice of half a lemon (about 1 T)
- 2 T pepperoncini brine (or use any pickle brine)
- 1/2 packet ranch dressing mix (about 4 tsp)
- 1 dill frond, minced
- 1/2 tsp Accent (MSG)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
Put ingredients into a 1-quart lidded container and shake vigorously for about 1 minute. Eat immediately if you prefer crunchy – or marinate for a couple of hours for a more intense flavor.
Smashed Cucumber Salad
- 2 English or 3-4 Persian cucumbers (about 1-1 1/2 lbs).
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 T soy sauce
- 1 1/2 -2T rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili oil (optional)
- about 1 c of chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel.
Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and garlic. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside.
On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections. Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces. Toss the cucumbers with a big pinch of salt and place in a strainer in the sink. After about 15 minutes, rinse the cucumbers and place them in a bowl.
Add just enough dressing to the cucumber mix so that the cucumbers are barely coated. Then – if you’re using it – add the chili oil slowly – to taste. Toss it all well. Mix in the cilantro. Serve, garnished with sesame seeds.