How to grow pickling cucumbers, and how to use them in the kitchen?
The immigrant. Humans started growing cucumbers around 5000 BC, and it probably happened in India. From there, they traveled across Asia to Greece and Rome. The Romans enjoyed cucumbers in dozens of ways (with honey, vinegar, garum and spices), but the story of fermented pickles is said to have been the work of us Slavs - the vegetable was initially fermented with whey and later preserved in vinegar and salt.
Napoleon. It was only in time that the sweet and sour pickle succeeded and spread, mainly thanks to the discovery of sterilisation. Thanks are also due to the Parisian delicatessen owner Nicholas Appert who, at Napoleon's instigation, tried to devise a way of preserving food in glass and created the forerunner of the preserve.
A hybrid. The cucumber growing boom began in the 19th century when the oriental variety became established in the European region. This cucumber crossed with the Hungarian cucumber from Znojmo - and a pickle similar to the one that lives on with us was born.
Nostalgia. Older generations fondly remember field cucumbers - salad pickles and pickles, which have been rivalled for some time by snakes. While 'field cucumbers' are (as the name suggests) usually grown in the field, snake cucumbers are most often ripened in greenhouses, not only for the sake of tying. Incidentally, according to some sources the greenhouse was invented specifically for growing cucumbers.
Thirty. Approximately that many varieties of snake cucumbers are registered in the Czech Republic. The queen among them used to be Znojmo's gherkin, Nowadays, however, it is planted by small growers at most, while large-scale growers harvest new varieties bred for yield. Hanka Součková grows in Semice Anya - The older, coarse-textured variety is hardy and the roots can reach out for water, so it doesn't need much watering. In the Czech Republic it is also famous for the marrow from Žatecko where they used to elect a cucumber king around Shrovetide.
In season. The Souček family open the pickle season around Halloween - direct sowing into the soil is aimed at the end of April, with the harvest will start at the beginning of the holiday season. The length of the growing season then varies based on rainfall and irrigation, temperatures and fertiliser, but each year the first frost ends it.
Manure over gold. Cucumbers love organic manure, whether the grower offers them cow manure, slurry, or chicken manure mixed with water. Crawling pickles like "fire and pond" (heat and moisture), but above all they require plenty of nutrients from healthy soil - and they can tell when they're lacking something.
Fungi and flowers. The enemy of cucumbers is the so-called cucumber blight. The little bugs take a bite out of the vegetables at the stage when they are still in their true (womb) leaves, destroying the whole plant. In convention, the situation is dealt with is dealt with by spraying, but this is not good for the cucumbers, the soil or man. The chemicals take a long time to work, so after applying them one should wait at least ten days before harvesting the cucumbers. In that time, however, the cucumbers will become harder to sell and, unfortunately, most conventional farmers will prefer to sell them.
Cucumbers like courgettes. The harvest depends, among other things, on the number of customers who order small fruits for pickling. In fact, gherkins behave like courgettes - the more often they are harvested, the more the plant produces.
Ufff! Cucumbers are one of those vegetables that are very labour-intensive, especially in an organic regime that doesn't allow the use of herbicides. The Souček's go to the field every day throughout the growing season and, in addition to picking, they hoe the weeds - they use a hoe to hoe the small plants, but when the cucumbers get big, they have to pull them by hand. The hands are also responsible for the actual harvesting - on average, they pick just 6 kilos of gherkins an hour.
Harvest and preserve! In order to retain the obligatory crispness in the pickle, the pickles need to get out of the field and into the jar as soon as possible. Farmers are advised to pickle them the day they are harvested and to handle the fruit as gently as possible, picking them into clean, dry buckets, sorting them by size and then carefully placing them in small batches into boxes to prevent them from becoming bruised and rotting. The filled crates are quickly taken to a cool place - the cucumber is 96 % water and will quickly become rubbery in the sun.
The stem must go! The cucumber is not torn, but pinched and ideally the stem is also removed, as it delays the preparation of the pickles for pickling. The fruit itself must not be damaged, otherwise it is discarded and sold separately, as it could cause bacteria and mould to grow when pickled. A meritorious function in Semice is held by a special vegetable washing machine from Japan, which saves water and labour in the kitchen.
Small and spiky. Cucumbers are picked for pickling 5 to 8 cm in size. Correctly, they should be the same thickness all along their length (without bulging) and covered with bumps which contribute to the crisp texture. The thicker surface of the cucumbers is also important for growers, as it indicates good resistance to disease.
On the market. For pickles, go to the market or to the grower's yard and use all your senses when buying - cucumbers may not look like each other, but they they must not be rubbery. Quality is also indicated by sweet to buttery taste and a crisp, fresh cucumber aroma. Do not hesitate to ask about the origin and variety - an honest farmer will be happy to tell you everything.
Import. It's rolling domestic production, which is surprisingly low despite the tradition and consumption of cucumbers - most of the pickles come to us from Turkey or Spain. Before and after transport, the vegetables are pickled in vats with quick pickles and lots of unnecessary preservatives. Treat yourselves to Czech produce instead!
Bitterness. Cucumbers originally tasted bitter, and even almost disappeared from kitchens in the 18th century - they looked poisonous. The unwanted bitterness is caused by the substances cucurbitaceins but breeding in the 1960s succeeded in driving them out of the fruit and into the leaves. Some varieties still show bitter tones in the skins and ends of the fruit - just cut them off. Growers have other tricks: for example, the whole cucumber is circled around the end of the fruit to remove the white liquid containing cucurbitaceins.
Melon and dill. The small cucumber shows great culinary potential, turning both black and sour. When cut, it is the flesh releases a melon-like aroma - You will know the summer variation of both vegetables with feta, olive oil, mint or dill. The brine, which gives the cucumber its flavour and characterises countless traditional dishes, from potato salad to Znojmo sauce and tartar sauce to meatloaf with mash, is not without it. Not to mention Czech bread!
Cucumber and fat. Pickles were already known to regulate digestion, soothe the stomach - and pair meaningfully with with fatty (fried) foods, contemporary chefs praise them for their acidity, spiciness and contrast of flavours on the plate. Cucumbers are sliced in a burger, in a toasted sandwich (with lots of cheese and Prague ham) and brioche with fried chicken, sliced into tartar sauce and salads, creamy soups (for flavour and texture) or kernotta, but also fried in the manner of fried pickles.
The cucumber on bread with crackling is irreplaceable, but also with lard, smoked lard, nduja or bresaola. At the grill, finely chopped in a vinaigrette or salsa - for example, with parsley, oil, salt, cooked egg yolks, vinegar, capers or anchovies - scores. For a side dish, the pickles can be grilled (with fish) or lightly grilled, as is done in the recipe for Znojmo.
Přerostky. This is the name given to cucumbers that have remained in the field a little longer and have grown to a size of around 15 cm. The fruits contain harder seeds and are processed into either ferments or as salad dressings. In the past, the larger cucumbers were put into jars with yarrow, dill, borage, cherry leaves and peppercorns, covered with salt and covered with water in which black bread was mixed - after eight days in a warm place, the jar was tightly closed and kept cool.
Naše okurky (Our cucumbers). This is the name of the cucumbers that are preserved by efko according to a recipe from the Ambiente chefs - pickles were the first of a series of products that are gradually replacing inferior semi-finished products in restaurant kitchens. What's next? The UM Innovation Centre recently developed a recipe for ketchup.
On your nerves. Cucumbers have been a big hit in Europe in Europe since the 16th century. They've been made famous by, among other things, the belief that they can cure the plague. In China, cucumbers have maintained their reputation for thousands of years as a beneficial vegetable that strengthens the nervous system and immunity. Add to that a heap of vitamins and minerals - and you might as well make a cucumber salad.
For winter. Our ancestors peeled and thinly sliced young cucumbers, salted them and left them covered for half a day to let their juices run clear. Then they were drained and filled a jar with them - only halfway, of course, to leave enough room for the wine vinegar. Finally, the cucumbers were covered with hot melted butter or lard, which had solidified and prevented air from entering. The cucumber salad was stored in the cool cellar for a long time, and just seasoned with vinegar and light oil before serving.
Source: HS Semice, Wiener Kochbuch, God's Gift - Stories of Czech Food, Vegetable Kitchen (Václav Soukup), Museum Žatec, Hengstenberg.de
