Cucumber
Ah cucumbers. You can slice them. You can pickle them. You can, um, slice them and um pickle them… The options for this juicy green squash aren’t exactly endless are they? I have often made it home with one of those impressively long european cucumbers and wondered what in the world I could do with that much cucumber in just one week. But here I have a delicious new recipe to that will perhaps make you want to take home a couple more cucumbers next week.
Maple Cucumber Lemonade is one of those odd things that is just loaded with undiscovered yumminess. When we finally get one of the sunny days that summer is supposed to packed with, you can sit back on your porch, soak in the rays and enjoy one of the most refreshing drinks out there. And until then, I’ve heard rumor that this is a drink that can be enjoyed indoors too.
I recommend peeling the cucumber before juicing it, but if you don’t mind the green tint and slightly grassy taste, go ahead and leave it on there. If you don’t have your own juicer you can just grate the cucumber and then press the juice through a sieve. One large european cucumber makes way more than 1/4 cup of cucumber juice, so I recommend juicing your cuke and multiplying the recipe up for however much juice you get. You can also make this extra special by using lime juice instead of lemon. It’s delicious!
If you got a little cucumber excited and are looking for another use for them, I have always loved cucumber salads. Toss diced cucumber with some split cherry tomatoes, chopped basil leaves and a little salt, olive oil and rice wine vinegar. Or pair the cucumber with sugar snap peas and mint leaves instead. Oh yum.
This weekend we have a Saxophone Quartet playing under the farmers market tent and next weekend (the 18th) the market will be extra special with the Youth Farmers Market. So hopefully you’ll be there to help support the budding entrepreneurs in our midst!
Maple Cucumber Lemonade
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup cucumber juice
1/4 cup Vermont maple syrup
1) Mix it all together.
2) Pour it into a tall glass.
3) Sit back and enjoy
Makes 2 cups
(As seen in the 7/9/09 "Our Food" column in The Montpelier Bridge)
Maple Cucumber Lemonade is one of those odd things that is just loaded with undiscovered yumminess. When we finally get one of the sunny days that summer is supposed to packed with, you can sit back on your porch, soak in the rays and enjoy one of the most refreshing drinks out there. And until then, I’ve heard rumor that this is a drink that can be enjoyed indoors too.
I recommend peeling the cucumber before juicing it, but if you don’t mind the green tint and slightly grassy taste, go ahead and leave it on there. If you don’t have your own juicer you can just grate the cucumber and then press the juice through a sieve. One large european cucumber makes way more than 1/4 cup of cucumber juice, so I recommend juicing your cuke and multiplying the recipe up for however much juice you get. You can also make this extra special by using lime juice instead of lemon. It’s delicious!
If you got a little cucumber excited and are looking for another use for them, I have always loved cucumber salads. Toss diced cucumber with some split cherry tomatoes, chopped basil leaves and a little salt, olive oil and rice wine vinegar. Or pair the cucumber with sugar snap peas and mint leaves instead. Oh yum.
This weekend we have a Saxophone Quartet playing under the farmers market tent and next weekend (the 18th) the market will be extra special with the Youth Farmers Market. So hopefully you’ll be there to help support the budding entrepreneurs in our midst!
Maple Cucumber Lemonade
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup cucumber juice
1/4 cup Vermont maple syrup
1) Mix it all together.
2) Pour it into a tall glass.
3) Sit back and enjoy
Makes 2 cups
(As seen in the 7/9/09 "Our Food" column in The Montpelier Bridge)
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