• 2 large cucumbers
• Boiling water to cover
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Dash of pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped dill, optional
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives, optional
• 1 hard-cooked egg, optional
• Lemon juice or vinegar

Wash cucumbers. If they are young with a tender skin and from your garden, do not peel them. Peel others and run a fork lengthwise down the cucumber to a depth of ⅛ inch to make a scallop on each slice. Slice the cucumber so thin that you can see the knife through it while you are slicing. Cover with boiling water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain and plunge cucumbers into cold water. Drain and set in refrigerator for half hour. Mix sour cream with sugar, pepper and any of the optional ingredients. Salt cucumbers well and combine with sour cream mixture. Correct the tartness with lemon juice or vinegar. Serve cold.

Salting cucumbers to wilt them, makes them indigestible. They have a way of reminding you all afternoon that you had them for lunch. Scalding will wilt them and remove the bitterness.