# Vegetable help **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 14, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941 "2000-10-14T23:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/1 "2000-10-14T23:38:56Z")
The scale that prints bar codes at the store lists “English cucumbers”. I haven’t seen any. How do they differ from your basic cucumber? What are “Spring onions”? ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/2 "2000-10-15T03:04:43Z")
I think spring onions look like small onions with the green tops on. Sorta like onions that are smaller (because they were picked in the spring- earlier). Could be wrong about the tops bit though, and I just might be totally wrong. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/3 "2000-10-15T03:07:49Z")
English Cucumbers are the ones that come shrink-wrapped with their own bar codes. They are longer and (proportionally) thinner than “garden” cukes and they have smaller, less conspicuous seeds. I can’t compare taste, since the odor of cucumber make me want to hurl. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/4 "2000-10-15T03:08:14Z")
Thanks, Wonko. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/5 "2000-10-15T03:10:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > \*\*English Cucumbers are the ones that come shrink-wrapped with their own bar codes. \*\* Now wait a minute. You’re saying they grow English cukes in Saran wrap or something? I thought maybe they were the “wild cucumbers” that Darwin got off on. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/6 "2000-10-15T05:00:45Z")
English cucumbers are known for causing less flatulence in those susceptible to it. They also have a more delicate flavor and (as pointed out) have a smaller seed structure. They are the prefered cuke for Sushi recipes. The term spring onion is often used to refer to scallions or green onions. However, I’m pretty sure that they really are very small young onions that have been pulled up with their tops attached. They look like scallions except that they have a much more bulbous root end to them. They are commonly found in Hispanic markets (Mercados). ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/7 "2000-10-15T07:01:01Z")
> [@](#): > > You’re saying they grow English cukes in Saran wrap or something? No. They grow them in cellophane. Your OP said you had not _seen_ any. The easiest way to _see_ them in the typical U.S. grocery is to look for long, thin cukes that are already packaged rather than the thick garden cukes that are simply waxed. I suspect that the product sold in U.S. groceries as “English” or “seedless” is a hybrid (which could indicate that there are a very limited number of suppliers). The suppliers may choose to package them for brand recognition or for any other reason. (The one in my refrigerator came from Ontario.) ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/8 "2000-10-15T08:20:32Z")
Another word for “spring onions” or “scallions” can also be “syboes” This is,of course, not helpful to you in this case, but I felt like butting in anyway. (And running away soon.) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/9 "2000-10-15T13:55:28Z")
Spring onions are not immature onions at all . They will not grow to such a size even if left to their own devices. They are similar to chives but with those it is the green shoots that are taken and used but in the spring onion the whole plant is consumed. At least I think it is. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-help/36941/10 "2000-10-15T14:02:29Z")
Many cookbooks have a bit on the term “spring onions”. The term may refer to scallions or green onions which are thin, straight onions with a white half-inch bottom and green top or proper spring onions, which have the same green top but a small bulb. These are also known as “salad onions”. “Shallots” of course are the small, hard, brown-skinned onions mainly used for sauces.