Cukes & Toms Time

After a hiatus to complete some much needed landscaping renovations, I'm back to blogging again.  And just in time to start discussing some of my garden favorites that are starting to bear.

A southern favorite at the dinner table this time of year is "Cukes & Toms".  Fortunately, even with the extreme heat and rain we've had in southern middle Tennessee this year, my cucumbers have held out to produce a pretty good bounty.  My favorite is the old standard Boston Pickling cucumber.  It's a variety that traces it's roots back to around 1883, that was "improved" in the 1950's to withstand mosaic wilt and other modern day diseases.  It is still considered an heirloom and is open pollenated, so that makes it a must have in any heirloom garden.

It matures at about 6" long and the vines bear heavily.  I usually plant no more than 8-10 plants each year that I trellis up page-wire fencing. This is sufficient to can a dozen or more pints of my favorite bread and butter pickles, plus provide fresh eating for weeks on end in salads or as Cukes & Toms (see featured recipe).  I hope you will give this one a try.