Be Cool As ACUCUMBERCucumbers are a member of the gourd family along with melons, squash, pumpkins and watermelon. There are two primary varieties of cucumbers, the slicers and the picklers. The slicers are for fresh use like in salads or in vegetable trays, while the picklers are typically used to make pickles! Both varieties make for a perfect snack on a warm summer’s day and are essential for building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Cucumbers are one of the oldest vegetables having been cultivated for more than three thousand years. They are now being produced in Florida, as well as California, Georgia, Michigan and New Jersey. Cucumbers grow the fastest in the month of April as the soil becomes warmer, providing a more favorable growing environment for the crunchy and refreshing vegetable. When picking out the perfect cucumber, look for one that that is firm and is a dark shade of green. Once refrigerated, cucumbers only typically last for about one week.

Nutrition NOTESBelieve it or not, cucumbers and their juice have been recommended since ancient times for the improvement of skin complexion and the enhancement of our skin’s overall health. Cucumbers are 95% water, making them the perfect natural hydrating agent. The juice from the cucumbers can also provide relief from heartburn, arthritis and can promote hair growth. They are a good source of Vitamin C, which is useful in soothing skin irritations and the reduction of temporary swellings, and can help increase the level of water, fiber and potassium in an individual’s diet.

The Fresh Pick Review is an informative newsletter designed to provide a variety of interesting facts, figures and health benefits as they relate to our featured Fresh Pick item of the month. We hope you enjoy this newsletter and if you have any feedback on how to make our Fresh Pick Review even better, please email your suggestions or comments to freshpick@ideaworksfoodmarketing.com.

Did YouKNOW • Cucumbers age faster when stored with tomatoes, melons or apples and at temperatures over 50 degrees.

• The seeds of the cucumbers are what produce their flavor. Medium sized cucumbers with soft small seeds tend to have a better flavor.

• The older Cucumbers get, the bitterer their seeds become.

• When cucumbers were still unknown, people thought that they were poisonous and would scrape their skin with a fork in order to let the poisons out.

Chef Remmi Smith is Sodexo’s first ever “Student Ambassador for Nutrition and Health” and is host of a health based TV cooking show “Cook Time with RemmiTM.” In her new role, Remmi will have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of students in Sodexo-served school districts across the country by having the opportunity to speak directly to the students through specially produced videos, nutrition education materials and in-person appearances.

It’s All HISTORY The cucumber is thought to be a native of India and is believed to have been cultivated in western Asia for over 3,000 years. From India, it spread to Greece and Italy, where the Romans were especially fond of the crop, and later into China. Colonial encounters between Europeans and Native Americans resulted in the rapid circulation of cucumbers throughout North America. Spain began growing them in Hispaniola by 1494 and by the seventeenth century, Native American groups on the Great Plains were cultivating cucumbers of their own. People began to use it not only as a food, but also for its beneficial skin healing properties. Since the nineteenth century, cucumbers have been used in the production of certain cosmetics, including fragrances, body lotions, shampoos and soaps. Today, the U.S. cucumber industry has spread to over 50 states, bringing in around $361 million each year.

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For The RECORDMOST CUCUMBERS HARVESTED FROM ONE PLANT IN ONE YEARWHO Walt Disney World Company WHERE United States WHEN July 5, 2006 DETAILS The most cucumbers harvested from a single plant in one year weighed 943 kg (2,078 lbs). The cucumber plant is at the Epcot Science project at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The harvest started on March 24, 2006 and ended on July 5, 2006.

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Let’s Get Cooking

RICE WITH LEMONY CUCUMBER SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: • 2 C Rice(preferably brown/cooked according to package directions)• 1 ½ C Plain yogurt(non fat)• 1 C Cucumber(medium dice)• 1 T Lemon Juice• ½ t Lemon zest• 2 t dry mint• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:Prepare all ingredients as directed. In a small bowl add the yogurt, cu-cumber, lemon juice, zest, mint and salt and pepper to taste. Serve rice with a healthy portion of the sauce on the side.

By The NUMBERS95% THE PERCENTAGE OF

WATER THAT MAKES UP A

CUCUMBER. The number of degrees cooler the inner temperature of a CUCUMBER can be than the outside air.