Remember when Kendall Jenner tried to slice a cucumber? The whole world was shocked, and it started a trend of people pretending to slice a cucumber just like Kendall. Well, maybe Kendall didn’t, since she only got five slices. Of course, we can all attribute the cucumber’s big debut in pop culture to Kendall.
However, as soon as it debuted, it went on hiatus while most of us forgot about it. Luckily, the cucumber is now officially experiencing a revival. And this time, we have not Kendall to thank, but the wildly popular “cucumber guy,” Logan Moffitt.
Who is the Cucumber Man?
Rogan has been trying to build a presence as a food and recipe influencer on social media platforms for a while now. But in July, he modestly launched the series that would essentially become his identity, with something like a sesame- and MSG-laden cucumber salad becoming his entire pop culture legacy within a matter of weeks. Since that fateful video, Rogan now has over 5 million followers on TikTok and 1.5 million on Instagram, and, as The Guardian explains, has created over 40 cucumber-based recipes.
The denizens of the world wide web have dabbled in some pretty random stuff in the past, some exceptional, some questionable. The crunchy, crisp cucumber salad recipe fad is basically Rogan’s entire current online presence, and no one can miss it. You can experience that crunch for yourself throughout the scene. That’s the whole point of recipe bloggers on TikTok and Instagram. But the internet also likes consistency and familiarity. And Rogan understands algorithms. So he’s got some groundwork to work with. The cucumbers are always quickly run through a mandolin, “with a little bit of MSG, of course” (for those who know), and then eaten right out of the shaken container with metal chopsticks. So pretty.
Logan seems to have started a cucumber movement on social media. I’m not sure if you’ve seen him and his mandolin, but I’m sure you’ve seen a lot more cucumber dishes than usual over the past few weeks. Still not convinced? Try this recipe that literally takes under 15 minutes, no measuring required. If you’re good with a mandolin, this can be done even faster. But you definitely need a mandolin.
Cucumber: Italian sub-style
Every cucumber recipe starts with slicing cucumbers with a slicer into a deep container. Add coarsely chopped salami, pickled peppers, pickled pepper juice, thinly sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, baby bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella cheese balls), salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, fresh lime vinegar, and a dash of MSG. Mix and serve. (Logan also suggests leaving these to marinate for a while.)
Cucumber: Chicken Caesar Salad Style
Slice the cucumber and toss with pre-made Caesar dressing. Add thinly sliced red onion, bacon, Parmesan, cooked and sliced chicken, juice of half a lemon, and MSG. Shake and layer into bite-sized pieces.
Cucumber: Salmon cream cheese style
Slice a cucumber and add a generous dollop of cream cheese. Add chopped smoked salmon, sliced red onion, ranch dressing, capers, lemon juice, bagel seasoning, and all other ingredients except “a little MSG, of course.” Shake and enjoy.
Cucumber: Creamy Kimchi Style
Slice up some cucumber and add sour cream, Korean chilli powder, Korean chilli flakes, 2 minced garlic cloves, a bit of fish sauce and oyster sauce, a splash of sesame oil and not to forget the MSG, and eat with chopsticks (or a fork, no judgement here).
Cucumber: Peanut butter style
Slice a cucumber and add as much peanut butter as you like. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, one minced garlic clove, one bunch of chili oil, lots of spring onions, a little MSG, and finally sesame seeds. Shake and taste.
Are you as obsessed with cucumbers as the internet is?
