Fresh Haul

When I was a kid, one of the things we always had in the fridge, right next to the watermelon and ice tea, was a bowl of cucumber salad.

Thinly slice cucumbers and plain white onions into a bowl. Combine water, white vinegar, and sugar. This time, I used 1c water, 1c vinegar, a splash of oil, and 1/4c sugar. I heated them in the microwave for about a minute. It's not supposed to be very sweet--just enough to take the edge off the vinegar. Next time I'll probably start with 1/8c sugar. Pour dressing over cucumbers and onions to cover, and let sit in the fridge for a while before eating.

Dunno if this is a regional dish or not (Southern US, if so). It goes very nicely with corn on the cob, chicken salad in tomatoes, and other summer delights.

A friend has thornless blackberries in her back yard, and she invited me over to pick what I wanted. I ate a quart as I picked, like ya do, but I still filled a gallon pail. They're awesome with Greek yogurt and dark brown sugar, in the absence of maple syrup. Today I made an olive oil cake with a cup of strained pulp and a cup of whole berries. I can highly recommend the idea!