Bring on the Killing Frost

My incredibly generous students have gifted me with all sorts of thoughtful things, but Mark and I can hardly wait for tonight's predicted frost, as it will no doubt mean the end of the cucumbers. "Hmong cucumbers" as my students call them, taste just like normal cucumbers, but have yellow skin and are the size of small watermelons.

Neither Mark nor I were huge cucumber fans to begin with, but at first these behemoths presented sort of a challenge; how many different ways can I serve cucumbers? Come to find out, other gardeners (or friends of gardeners) must have faced the same challenge, because the internet is chock-full of creative cucumber recipes. Spicy cucumber and pepper cous-cous salad, cucumber lemonade, cucumber limeade, hot cucumbers in cream sauce, we've been eating it all.

But last night, Mark, who so far has yet to complain about one single thing that I've cooked in three years, dumped his hot cucumbers into the disposal.

"I'm done with the cucumbers," he announced. "Tomorrow I'm bringing the rest of them to my co-workers."

The gift that keeps on giving. You, dear reader, if you act quickly, could too score a Hmong cucumber. First come, first serve!