WEST COAST UPDATE 08-21-2025

PERSIAN CUCUMBERS

  The Persian cucumber in U.S. groceries usually refers to Beit Alpha–type cucumbers—hybrids selected for thin, unwaxed skin, mild flavor, and parthenocarpic (seedless) fruit—developed and distributed from Beit Alpha and now grown widely in greenhouses around the world; breeder Hanka Lazarson is frequently credited with early selections there in the 1930s–50s. That’s why you’ll also see them called Beit Alpha, Lebanese, or Middle Eastern cucumbers. Compared with the longer English (hothouse) type, Persians are shorter (about 4–6 in/10–15 cm), a bit firmer and less watery, and rarely need peeling; you can swap them 1:1 in most recipes. Culinary uses lean fresh: sliced into Shirazi salad (cucumber, tomato, onion, herbs, lemon), chopped for mezze platters, tucked into wraps and sandwiches, tossed with yogurt and herbs, quick-pickled, or even lightly cooked in fast stir-fries. Nutritionally, cucumbers are mostly water (~95–96%) and very low calorie—about 15–16 kcal per 100 g—with small amounts of vitamin K, potassium, and vitamin C; keeping the peel boosts the fiber and micronutrients. Fun facts: the Beit Alpha name comes from the kibbutz where modern breeding took off; these mini cucumbers are often grown parthenocarpically (no pollination needed, hence the tiny/undeveloped seeds); and in taste tests and editor roundups they’re often ranked the best snacking cucumber for their dense texture and concentrated flavor. Persian cucumbers are grown in Mexico, packed in twenty-two-pound cases and are now in the market.

Whats Not

ORO BLANCO
INDEAN OKRA
RED PEARS
HIDDEN ROSE APPLES
COLLARD GREENS