Though summer came to Oregon on the slow train this year, some of the foods that shout summer are showing up at the farmers’ markets and even a few gardens. One munchable sign of summer we’ve all enjoyed since childhood is cucumbers.

OK, so they aren’t the flashy, colorful stars of summer, but they do add oomph and crunch to any salad or sandwich, or a respectable side dish to any summer meal. Those would be the slicers, as dependable and prolific as zucchini in any garden or produce stand.

Cukes come in a variety of lengths and sizes from short to long, slender to chunky and pale yellow to dark green. Some are bred specifically for canning and make crunchy dills, relish, sweet pickles or bread-and-butter pickles. Pickling is one of the easiest—and safest—ways to preserve summer harvest. A relish plate of homemade pickles on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table brings a whiff of summer to these special occasions.

Cucumbers contain a lot of water which is important in the diet during hot weather to keep you and your skin healthy and hydrated. They also contain ascorbic and caffeic acids which reduce swelling and soothe skin irritations. They’re also rich in molybdenum, a dietary mineral said to be an antioxidant that prevents cancers by protecting cells from free radicals, though all of molybdenum’s properties and benefits are yet to be completely understood. The skins are rich in fiber and contain such beneficial minerals as silica, potassium and magnesium so leave them on if you can.

So, stay cool as a cucumber by enjoying some this summer.