How to fix bitter cucumbers for your perfect summer salad

Cucumbers taste good on sandwiches, in cold soups, in addition to cottage cheese, and in salads. When it comes to the latter, cucumber salad is the most popular. It works great as long as the cucumbers are not bitter.

The problem of distinctly bitter cucumbers most commonly concerns field cucumbers. These vegetables usually contain cucurbitacin, which is meant to deter pests. It is a natural substance that is always present in cucumbers. It only changes their taste when there is too much of it. What causes this?

It may be due to poor cultivation practices. This substance, typically found in the leaves, stems, and roots, can move into the flesh of the cucumbers. It gets there from the stem end, so the most bitterness is found in the greener parts of the cucumber, that is, at the base. Dry conditions can also accelerate bitterness.

At first glance, it is impossible to tell if cucumbers taste bitter. If you bought such cucumbers, give them a long bath. Soaking vegetables in cold water sometimes helps. You can save the cucumbers by peeling them correctly if you realise they are bitter.

Peel the cucumber from the lighter end towards the darker end. Never do it the other way around, as it is the biggest mistake. Only this way will you avoid spreading the bitter substances all over. After each stroke of the peeler or knife on the cucumber, rinse it under running water. When you have more bitter cucumbers, you can ferment them or turn them into lightly salted pickles—they will be delicious, and there will be no trace of the undesirable taste.