Dad's Cucumber Salad

May is upon us and Los Angeles is struggling to shed it's rain coat. Those new to the city keep asking when summer's going to arrive. I feel like I am back in Seattle, making excuses for the clouds and claiming that all will be forgotten once the sun and summer heat make their grand entrance.

And so, with our new friends and budding Angelenos, we escaped this last weekend to Palm Springs for a few days of intense heat, sunshine, and laying by the pool. A reminder to our bodies that we are almost there; that our semi-translucent ghostly skin tones will soon begin to golden; that our sweaters and boots will soon retreat back into the depths of the closet and our sandals, stilettos and tanktops will unearth and become staples once more.

When it's 104 degrees outside (or really, anything over 85) I get a craving for my dad's cucumber salad. It was a summer staple in our family; from June through September, there was always a huge bowl of freshly sliced cucumbers floating in their sea of sweet and spicy vinegar on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Requiring almost no work at all, this is a perfect light lunch, snack, or side dish for those unbearably hot days that I know, I know, are just around the corner.

Dad's Cucumber Salad

1 large hothouse cucumber, peeled (ours were homegrown and are definitely preferred if possible)
1/2 C. rice wine vinegar
1/2 C. water
1 t. sugar
Salt and pepper
1/8 medium red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and combine with the vinegar, water and sugar. Gently stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Add the red onion about 10 minutes before serving (it will turn the mixture pink if added too early).

The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead of time (without the red onion).