Zucs and cucs, August 2024

Di Nizzo zucchini in the garden, August 2024

Last year I was overloaded with both zucchini and cucumbers, with around 50 and 40 pounds respectively--what a great year.  This year, it's shaping up to be a much more modest harvest.  Though I got a lucky few free ones (of each) from other allotmenters to supplement my own too:  I never say no to free food, especially vegetables.

I grew so much zuc last year that I still have some dehydrated in my cupboard so this year we are mostly eating it fresh, but I have also made a jar of kimchi with it.  I mean, why not--I'm on a roll with kimchi.  It's crunchy and spicy and may not last very long, the way I'm eating it!  I also made a couple of batches of tortillas with cooked mashed zuc:  just keep adding flour to the mash till it makes a rollable dough (mine was still a bit sticky) and cook in a hot pan about a minute each side.  They were a hit with the kids, even the son who dislikes zucchini.  The cooked mash was a bit watery so I left it to drain in a sieve for a few hours first.

With my little pickling cucumbers, I've filled a 1.8L jar of refrigerator pickles, and am 3/4 of the way through another.  Some of the smaller salad cucumbers have found their way in the jars too.  I saved seed from the pickling cucs last year, and have another couple left overripe for seed this year too (I've already bought salad cucumber seed for next year but who knows, maybe I've missed an overripe one of these too).  Apparently these can be made into kimchi too...

Marketmore cucumber in the garden, August 2024