The Scented Kitchen: A Bucket of Cucumbers and a French Surprise

We've reached that wonderful time of year in Southwest Missouri when the garden seems to produce faster than we can keep up with it. Every trip outside results in another basket of zucchini, yellow squash, or cucumbers making its way into the kitchen. We've been eating them, sharing them with friends and neighbors, and still somehow find more every day.

Starting plants from seed in our greenhouse may have been a little too successful this year.

Recently, David carried in a bucket full of cucumbers and started pulling out some of the biggest ones you've ever seen. You know the kind—large enough that they're beginning to turn yellow. For years, I assumed those oversized cucumbers would be bitter, but it turns out that's not really the problem. The challenge is that they're full of large seeds, which can make them less pleasant to eat.

As I looked at that bucket overflowing with cucumbers, I started thinking about ways to use them before they took over my kitchen.

Ever since watching Julie & Julia a few months ago, I've enjoyed recreating recipes from Jacques Pépin's Cooking at Home video series. His recipes are approachable, uncomplicated, and often use ingredients many of us already have on hand. When I searched for cucumber recipes, I discovered he had several, and one immediately caught my attention.

Before I started cooking, I wanted to create a fresh, relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen. Summer cooking calls for simplicity, and I wasn't interested in anything complicated. I added a few drops of peppermint essential oil to my Belle Aroma® Aromatherapy Scent Pendant™ and hung it nearby. The light mint fragrance felt especially fitting for a recipe centered around cucumbers and fresh herbs.

This soup turned out to be exactly what a hot summer day calls for—cool, refreshing, and surprisingly satisfying. It could easily serve as a light lunch, a first course for dinner, or even a simple addition to a summer gathering. The cucumber and mint create a fresh flavor combination that tastes like summer in a bowl.

Jacques' Soupe Froid au Concombre et à la Menthe

(Cold Cucumber and Mint Soup)

Makes about 5 cups, serves 4

• 2½ pounds cucumbers
• 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
• 3 small cloves garlic, peeled
• ½–1 jalapeño, diced
• ½–1 cup cold water
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Pinch of sugar, optional
• Dash of Tabasco, if desired
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Remove the ends and peel the cucumbers. Slice away and discard the seeds. Add the cucumber flesh to a high-speed blender along with the mint, garlic, jalapeño, cold water, sea salt, yogurt, optional sugar, and Tabasco if desired. Blend until smooth and creamy, being careful not to over-process or warm the soup.

Pour into serving bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

The result is light, cool, and wonderfully refreshing.

If your garden is overflowing with cucumbers—or if you're simply looking for something different to serve during the heat of summer—this recipe is worth trying. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the ones that surprise us the most.

And if you're looking for a simple way to bring a fresh scent into your favorite space, the Aromatherapy Scent Pendant™ offers an easy, no-fuss option for enjoying essential oils in small personal areas throughout your home.

Lori Herr for The Gift of Scent®