Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a refreshing ingredient in gazpacho and cool summer soups. Two kinds of cucumbers are sold in American food markets—the short version we all grew up with and the longer European-style cucumbers sometimes called “gourmet” or “hothouse” cucumbers. The long cucumbers have less water and a somewhat firmer texture than short cucumbers, but for most soups this isn’t important. The long cucumbers are more expensive, but when deciding which to buy, remember you’ll get about twice as much usable pulp from a long cucumber.