CUCUMBERS:

Try these three recipes to show off these crunchy veggies.

Cucumbers might be bland, but they’re not boring. They’re proof of the irresistible nature of edibles that crunch.

What a surprise, at 20, to taste my first French cucumber salad. Visiting my soon-to-be grandmother by marriage in Paris, I found out that cucumbers could be adorned with the subtle flavors of cream and fresh tarragon. I was accustomed to Dad’s vinegar-laden cucumber concoction, something he called “slumgullion.” This new dish was delicate. Delectable.

Grand-mere seeded, salted and drained cucumbers before tossing them with dressing, a process that prevented them from becoming watery once they were coated with cream. Peeling them first, she cut the cucumbers in half from end to end, and then scooped out the seeds using the bowl of a dainty teaspoon.

Placing them flat side down on a cutting board, she cut thin, crescentshaped slices using a rustic knife.

She tossed them with sea salt and then placed the cucumber-filled colander in her tiny sink, and then weighted them down by placing a thick ceramic bowl on top; she let them rest for about one hour, enough time for the tasteless cucumber “water” to dribble down the drain.

Her cucumber dance rid them of unwanted moisture. Tossing them with creme fraiche (a thickened cream with the consistency of sour cream that has a rich, nutty flavor), a handful of chopped fresh tarragon leaves, a drop or two of white wine vinegar, white pepper and salt, she created cucumber heaven. She spooned it on fuchsia-rimmed porcelain plates.

She served it as a luncheon first course, accompanied with a tomato salad, simple wedges of tomatoes tossed with parsley-shallot vinaigrette. And a fresh-from-the-corner baguette to sop up the juices.

The following recipes utilize two cucumber varieties, common and English (often referred to as hothouse). Common, sometimes called pole cucumbers or plain cucumbers, are 6-8 inches long with thick, dark green skin that is often coated with wax. Generally, they need to be peeled and seeded. English cucumbers are grown in greenhouses and most often are sold sealed in plastic wrap. Usually they are about 12 inches long. Their skin is thin and often they are served with the skin intact. No seeding is required.