The first vital review of cucumbers in Europe took place in France during the reign of Pépin the Short at the end of the 8th century. According to his gardener's record books, Pépin ordered that concombres be planted in triple rows adjacent to his vineyards, to protect the precious grapes from boll weevils, borers and cutworms. It took an additional 50 years before his son, Charlemagne, was permitted to eat a cucumber simply for enjoyment. It must have pleased his fancy, for Charlemagne declared at once that the cucumber was his favorite "fruit." He ate them only as dessert, in sweet tarts and custards.
Cucumbers require a humid environment, which is why you see them on market shelves coated with a thin wax coating to preserve the moisture content and enhance appearance. There are about 40 different kinds of cucumbers. Unusual varieties are now appearing in the U.S. One is a burpless cucumber, developed in Europe and enjoyed there for centuries; another is a lemon cucumber that looks more like a tennis ball than a vegetable. The British have developed a variety of seedless cucumber, which is grown in a greenhouse without the need for bee pollination. This next fact about cucumbers is really surprising, and some think it is just another old wives' tale, but it actually works: the next time you purchase a standard cucumber (not the long, skinny English variety), cut about 1 inch (2.5 cm) off the end and rub the two exposed areas together in a circular motion while occasionally pulling them apart. This creates enough suction to release a substance that causes some cucumbers to have a bitter taste. Then, discard the small end you used to release the bitterness.
From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
