Cucumber

This herb-infused rocks drink is fresh, cooling, and thirst-quenching, perfect for day drinking.

Salt the cucumbers a day ahead—they’ll get crunchier when chilled. Add some Smoked Potatoes for a heartier salad.

True, this concoction is slightly more complex than lemonade. But the work is worth it.

A warm, sultry peanut sauce makes even bean sprouts feel indulgent. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

This dressing is also great as a dip, and most of the vegetables listed here can be left in bigger pieces and treated as crudités instead.

Fava beans most likely require a trip to a farmers’ market and take a while to peel. Sugar snap peas cut into bite-size pieces are a fine alternative.

These pickles are a must-have accompaniment for BA's Best Fried Chicken Sandwich…though they’re pretty amazing on their own as a snack as well.

The crisp-skinned salmon is warmed up with spices and the sweetness of carrots. Then it's cooled down with one of the most refreshing combinations of all time: cucumbers and yogurt.

Dunk cucumbers in this radish yogurt for a satisfying snack or starter. Or spoon some on a plate, throw a fried egg on top, and call it breakfast.

These pickles—from the minds behind L.A.’s buzzy restaurants Jon & Vinny’s and Animal—will have the most vibrant color and snappiest crunch the day they are made.

Salting draws excess moisture from the cucumbers and seasons them simultaneously.

Rye berries have a rich nutty flavor, but you can use any firm whole grain instead (farro, wheat berries, and spelt are all good choices).

To develop deep, satisfying flavor in this home-style Japanese beef curry recipe from chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett’s San Francisco izakaya Rintaro, brown the beef slowly and thoroughly, and cook the onions until very soft and jammy.

Pro tip: Viva brand paper towels are used at Rintaro specifically for insulating the cod from its salty cure and will absorb moisture without falling apart.

Here is some fruit-spiration for your summer weekend. You're welcome.

Faster, faster! Learn how to make quick pickles from market-fresh cucumbers. And nope, you don't even have to can them.

Freekeh has a smoky flavor that gets more depth when the grains are toasted; you can use wheat berries, spelt, brown rice, or farro instead.

Strawberries and cream…and cardamom. The cooling spice and cucumbers give berries an element of intrigue.

Get true unripe green tomatoes, not green heirlooms, which are too delicate to grill. As for the green juice, there are some good store-bought ones if you’d rather not make your own.

In this dill pickle recipe, always trim off stems and ends before pickling veg; enzymes in both can lead to mushy pickles.

Skip the pricey Champagne and go for Italian Prosecco, with lots of solid options under $15.

Secret ingredient: pickle juice. Its salty edge rounds out the Sherry.

Here's how to buy, store, and cook with cucumbers, in season in July.

Aside from banana, we can’t think of a fruit that wouldn’t be good in this drink.