Sikkim Cucumber, you savage, crackled, thick-skinned fruit from faraway lands! I FINK U FREEKY…
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Is that you in the video?
Oh, gosh, no! Die Antwoord – a famous and super-freaky South African band.
Silly me. 🙂
Wow- never seen those…what do they taste like?
Glad you asked, Putneyfarmers! Very crunchy. Sweet. A little too seedy in the middle not to scoop out first.
We did a blind taste test (Diva v. Parisian Pickling v. Sikkim). Sikkim won on crunch factor. I like them because they’re FEEKY!
An added note: they develop this hard, crackled skin this late in the season and will actually keep as long as a winter squash. They also can get to be the size of a football but we had some sort of virus this year and nothing Cucurbital did all that well. They are said to be intense producers but I did not get a big yield. I’ve read the same on reviews.
I want to try them with Julia Child’s famous Cucumber Saute recipe.
Thanks- need to seek these out and try them (thx for the Julia recipe).
If they are crunchy, maybe they would make good pickles…have to see…
My opinion – they won’t make great pickles, unless you’re talking about a quick, rice wine vinegar-type pickle (which I love).
QUICK RICE WINE VINEGAR PICKLE: I peel, seed, slice cukes with a mandoline, and toss in 1/2 “seasoned rice wine vinegar” + 1/2 water mix. 2 cardamon pods optional. Make sure cucumbers are immersed. “Pickle” ready in a few hours. My 13-year-old daughter loves these and often does the prep work.
I think the smaller, tighter, smaller-seeded cukes make better pickles and cornichon. I made a few pickles out of the smaller Sikkims just to test and I don’t think they held up as well in the brine as my pickling cukes.
Baker Creek is the best place to find these kinds of funky heirlooms. (Cherry Gal also sells a lot of this weird stuff but she’s a bit wacko). If you ever find yourself in Petaluma, Baker Creek has a seed bank (literally in a bank) there. It’s worth the trek.
Love quick pickles and really like the cardamom in your recipe…will try on our “regular” cukes..
As for the seed bank in Petaluma- we’ve been there and that place rocks (very cool building)- will get the seeds the next time we stop in…
Thanks!
Hmmm…that’s news to me. Sounds tasty though.
Is this cuke variety available anywhere but in your garden? I love what it looks like and would enjoy tasting it!
I had it for the first (and only) time outside of my garden at the Marin Farmer’s Market. The vendor was there once and never came back.
No one in their right mind would grow Sikkim for selling it commercially – it’s ugly as all get-out. I can barely get anyone to eat one here.
But you can try one next week! 🙂