Cool glam

I wanted to add that cucumbers can also be glamorous, especially at cocktail or tea time. 

For those who want to go retro, there is the infamous British cucumber sandwich: two pieces of soft white bread slathered with butter encasing thinly sliced and salted cucumbers. Crusts of the bread of course. A more colorful and crunchy variation is open face on dense German pumpernickel, sometimes called dark rye, atop herbed cream cheese or Boursin instead of butter.

Those long hothouse English cucumbers can also be vessels for other goodies. You peel and cut each into 1 1/2" pieces. Then you scoop out a small cavity on one side of each, easily done with the smallest melon baller you can find. Or else the bottom of a wide spoon handle. This cavity is now ready for herbed goat cheese or just plain creme fraiche, even mascarpone. It will also hold the Persian red pepper and walnut spread, muhamarra--very colorful indeed. Or hummus or baba ganoush. Extra yummy filled with salmon paté.

Which brings us to cucumber slices as canapé bases instead of crackers or bread. Elegant with a dollop of sour cream, a sliver of smoked salmon, a sprig of dill topped with a caper. Memorable with fresh crabmeat flaked with chives and bound by the slightest hint of mayonnaise flavored with fresh lemon zest. Interesting under a smoked mussel attached with a tad of flat leaf parsley pesto.

And finally, for the most festive mood, there's the traditional presentation of a whole poached salmon, served room temperature with cucumber slices arranged on top like fish scales.