Cucumber Salad

This is another old family favorite.  It has been a picnic staple forever and usually in my mom's fridge from July when the cucumbers in her garden begin to ripen until late August.  It's a simple salad to make but you have to do it right or you will have a watery mess.

3-4 large cucumbers

2-4 onions (this will vary on size and your personal taste for onions)1/3 cup apple cider or distilled white vinegar1/4 cup salt3 tsp sugarfresh ground black pepper to taste2-3 cloves garlic minced2 cups sour creamPeel cucumbers and slice thin.  I recommend a mandolin or some sort of slicer.  The key to a good salad is thin even slices.  Place in a large bowl and cover with the salt.  A 1/4 seems like a lot but actually may not be enough.  You need to mix the cucumbers and salt so each slice has salt.  Cover and let sit for 1-2 hours.  The salt will draw most of the liquid out of the cucumbers allowing for a better salad.  After sitting drain all the liquid from the bowl.  Peel and slice onions using that same slice from before.  Again, thin even slices will make a better salad.  You want "hoagie" onions...thin stringy onions, not diced little pieces.  In a separate bowl while cucumbers are sitting combine vinegar, sugar, sour cream, garlic, and onions.  Mix well and refrigerate until the cucumbers are ready.

After both bowls have thoroughly soaked and water has been drained from cucumbers combine together.  Mix well and serve immediately or place back in the fridge.