Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Onions in Sweet Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

This is a cool and refreshing side dish perfect for a barbeque, alongside homemade macaroni and cheese, or served with a Southern-style vegetable dinner - you know, the kind you have when your garden (or farmer's market basket) is overflowing.

2 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 sweet onion - Vidalia or red

1 1/2 cups cold water
Apple cider vinegar - I like Bragg's
Agave nectar or sugar
Salt
Freshly-ground black pepper

Optional:  2 or 3 crushed cloves of garlic added to the dressing

Optional garnish:  fresh parsley or thyme sprigs, dried or fresh whole hot peppers

Slice tomatoes into wedges.  Peel and slice onion into thin wedges.  Wash cucumber and slice.

Note on peeling vs. not peeling cucumbers:  If it's a nice homegrown or farmer's market cucumber, or an unwaxed English cucumber, you can wash it thoroughly and leave the skin on if you wish.  If it's a regular waxed supermarket cucumber, you probably will want to peel it with a vegetable peeler.  If I have a cucumber with decent skin, I usually peel strips off, leaving some of the green as a compromise, since my husband likes the skin and I do not.

Put 1 1/2 cups cold water into a measuring cup.  Add apple cider vinegar, agave nectar or sugar, and salt to taste.  You want it to taste lightly tart, and slightly sweet.  If you use the sugar, you'll have to stir it for a couple of minutes for it to fully dissolve.  Add the crushed garlic cloves if you are using them.  Pour this mixture over the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in a bowl.   It's best to let this sit for an hour or so, tossing occasionally.  When you are ready to eat, find and remove the optional garlic cloves, and put the optional garnishes on top of the mixture.