Monster Cucumber

If I have to pick what I like the most about living in Arizona, farmers markets might be it.  I buy most of vegetables at farmers market on Saturday or Sunday and hope those veggies will last for a week.  It is delightful to be able to enjoy the veggies and fruits in season!

One of the things I found at farmers market and quickly addicted to it was Armenian cucumber.  It doesn't get soggy in vinegar-based salad.  It can hold crunchiness better than English cucumber does.  I used Armenian cucumber in my Arugula salad with blueberry dressing recipe.  The only complaint I have is its massive size!  Since cucumber is one of many vegetables my husband does not have a taste for, I end up eating every bit of this enormous cucumber.

Here's a picture of Armenian cucumber I picked up last weekend.

This is not the largest I've seen this summer.  When my husband saw an Armenian cucumber for the first time (by the way, it was taking up whole shelf in the fridge), he had no idea what it was.  It actually looks a lot like a sea cucumber than a plant cucumber.

I've been buying these cucumbers and other tasty veggies from Larry and Eunice Park all summer long.  Their pesticide/herbicide-free vegetables keep me alive!

The only thing I'm growing right now is Italian sweet basil, only because it is easy to grow inside by kitchen window.  I'm planning to make a small planting area like I used to have in Texas.  It was nice having veggies and herbs such as arugula, radish, chives, mint and Thai basil whenever I wanted to use.