*Wicker White Cucumber - 25lb

Some years ago, our friend Carold Wicker — an avid seedsman from Pomaria in the historic Dutch Fork region of South Carolina — shared seeds from his family’s old white cucumber with us. Carold is nearly 90 years old now, and like many great Southern seed keepers, he carries varieties that survived simply because someone in the family kept planting them. He told me that he got it originally from his aunt Essie. Who had grown it her whole life. This variety does not exist outside of where Carold Wicker‘s from. It has been passed down through any generations in the Dutch Fork area. 

Bradford Farm is very fortunate to be able to not only preserve this wonderful white cucumber, but make it available to chefs for the first time and not just remain a family backyard secret. It has a delicate skin and a mild flavor with no bitterness at all unlike the modern kirby cucumber varieties. It’s has a wonderful cucumber aroma that fills the kitchen when working with it and a very wonderful crispiness without being too crunchy. This cucumber has been in very high demand by our chefs in the last few years since we introduced it, but it’s availability and production has been limited due to a number of handicaps that we’ve had to overcome.

When we planted it the first time we found out that there were some green cucumbers showing up along with the white ones. Carold apparently planted them too close to other varieties and they crossed. Over the past eight years we have culled out the green ones and for two years straight, we have only produced pure white cucumbers. Now we have sufficient seed stock and hopefully this year will be the first year that we can supply the demand of our chefs. If you have never had the Wicker, white cucumber, you will not want to miss out.

Flavor & Texture

• Thin, tender pale skin
• Crisp, juicy flesh
• Mild sweetness with no bitterness
• Tight seed cavity and excellent hydration

Because the skins stay so delicate, they’re especially good for fresh eating straight from the field, but they also pickle beautifully — maintaining crunch while taking on acid cleanly.

For the Kitchen

• Fresh sliced: Requires little to no peeling
• Crudo & chilled seafood: Clean flavor without aggressive cucumber bitterness
• Quick pickles: Excellent texture retention
• Salads: Pairs naturally with herbs, yogurt, citrus, and fresh cheeses
• Cold soups & relishes: Sweetness stays balanced and restrained