The Great Cucumber Scare

[Naguere]

I notice on TV shots of German greengrocer stalls there are, what seem to be cucumbers but they are short and fat with little spikes on them.

Are they for pickling, or do you just use them like our British long smooth (and straight ( cucumbers?

[Gordito]

In America they call them "Armenian cucumbers". The north London markets have them, sometimes they are called "Cyprus cucumbers". If a shop has them, I'll get them instead of the bigger ones, they are denser and tastier.

[zuriga1]

I think that where I lived in the U.S., these cucumbers were called Kirby cucumbers. I always liked them better than the longer ones, but now I've gotten used to the British ones.

[Theresa]

They are the type of cucumber you get more commonly around the mediterranean. You use them the same, although most people peel them as the skin is tougher and (I think) can be bitter. They have more flavour and are less watery than the longer ones we usually grow in Britain.