Cucumber Recipes: 40 Ways To Cool Down With Cukes (PHOTOS)

If you think a cucumber is just a cucumber, think again. Browse the markets this summer and you'll find a variety of cukes to choose from -- short, plump pickling types to long, slicing and salad varieties. Most of us eat our cucumbers cool and raw, but they can also be cooked -- just see the slideshow below for all our recipe ideas. But before you get cooking, we've got a cucumber tips to help you enjoy the best:

• When you're shopping for cucumbers, look for ones that are firm and free of blemishes or soft spots.
• Store cucumbers for no more than one week in a plastic bag in your refrigerator's crisper drawer.
• The seedless kinds are great eaten skin and all, but with some other varieties, you may want to peel them first (especially ones with thick skins).
• If you're making a salad with seeded cucumbers, cut the vegetable lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

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