Israel’s Latest Invention: The Heart-Shaped Cucumber!

Some culinary pros ardently believe that the secret ingredient in cooking is not some obscure herb, but good old love. Now a group of farmers has taken that belief a step further, by creating heart-shaped cucumbers.

And if you think heart-shaped cucumbers are for sissies,don’t worry, these Israeli crop growers kept you in mind by growing star-shaped cucumber as well. (By now you’re probably wondering if we’re pulling an April Fools prank a day late. The answer is no. We’re always on time.)

Grown at the Israeli agricultural town of Ein-Yahav, the cucumbers’ growing technique is kept under wraps by the farmers (but we’re pretty sure it’s some sort of mold-based method, which has been used in Japan to grow square watermelons.)

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Ein Yahav is located in the Arava region of southern Israel. The dry desert environment produces some of Israel’s best produce, including cucumbers, peppers, watermelon and many other crops. (Israelis like to claim that the Israeli cucumber is the best in the world. We’d argue that since it’s one fifth the size of any normal cucumber, it better be.)

“We’re planning more shapes and applying the same shapes to other types of cucumbers,” agronomist Rami Sade excitedly tells NoCamels.

Not as impressive while still on the bush

“We’ve been growing them for three months,” says Sade. “There’s high demand for these cucumbers.” (He keeps grinning.)

Sade says the unique technology was brought to Israel from Spain and that these delicious green decorations are already available in supermarkets in Israel and Europe.

But since they’re only grown in small quantities, they are still hard to find: “For the moment, we grow several hundred kilograms per week, which is not much.”

Also available in star form

Sade argues that since this is a specialty product, the cucumbers will cost more than your average batch and will be sold in packages of four.

So if you’re ever wondering what to get your significant other (hint, it starts with F and has petals), why not prepare a “hearty” (and slightly overpriced) cucumber salad!

Photos: courtesy