Persian Cucumber
[Beit Alpha; Cucumis sativus]
These cucumbers are mostly seedless, and what seeds they may have are
so young they are not a bother. The seed mass is larger than with the
European / English cucumbers, so they have better flavor. Unlike the
European / English cucumbers, Persians can be field grown, thus far
more economical. They are sometimes called "Beit Alpha", the name of
a kibbutz in northern Israel where they were first developed.
The center one of the photo specimens was 7-1/4 inches long and
1.52 inches diameter, weighing 5-3/4 ounces. This is an above average
size, but California vegetables keep getting bigger for ease of
harvesting.
"Mini" versions of this cuke have started to appear in Southern
California produce markets in mid 2018 - see below.
More on Cucumbers.
Buying:
Here in Southern California, every produce
market has a mountain of these - they are wildly popular. The price
varies wildly too, depending on season and availability. The photo
specimens were purchased in January from a large multi-ethnic market
in Los Angeles (Altadena) for 2019 US $1.49 / pound, which is near
the high end - they can be as low as $0.69 / pound.
Storing:
These cukes are unwaxed, so you should not
try to store them for more than 5 days. In longer storage they will
start to get soft spots.
Cooking:
While most are consumed raw in salads or with
dips, these cukes are fine for soups, stir fries and other recipes
calling for cooking cucumbers. They are much better for this than the
conventional "green blimps".
Mini Persian Cucumber
[Cucumis sativus]
These small Persian Cucumbers appeared in Los Angeles produce markets
in mid 2018. They are still seldom seen, but may become popular.
They were typically 3.5 inches long and 0.8 inch diameter. Texture and
taste were pretty much identical to the full size Persians.
ck_persz 190128 - www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@clovegarden.com - Photos
on this page not otherwise credited © cg1
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