Cucumis sativus, subsp. sativus
This extremely rare landrace from Assam in the high Himalayas hails from the same region where cucumbers first evolved. Its fragrant sweet cucumber flavor evokes the subtle aromas of melons and while young, makes excellent pickles. The 1-inch cornichon size and the 2-inch pickling size (shown in the photo) are also good for slicing in salads. These are the sizes preferred by Asian chefs. After that the cucumbers turn chocolate brown (still good for pickling to add accent to mixed vegetables), but then as they fully ripen inflate into small melon-like fruits with white flesh (as shown in the second photo). They are still edible at this point although in local Assam cookery mostly used in stir fries or chutneys. 25 hand processed seeds.