Gather all mise en place: ingredients and equipment
In mixing bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, salt, celery seed and ground black pepper.
Whisk ingredients together until the sugar dissolves.
Taste at this point. If you like the dressing a little more tart, add more vinegar.
Wash the cucumbers in cold water.
Peel the onion and stripe-peel the cucumbers (just makes them more decorative)
Radial julienne the onion (which means cut the onion as thinly as you possibly can after removing the core and slicing by the lines that nature added for you to see)
Slice the cucumbers no thicker than 1/4-inch thick either by hand or with mandoline for consistency.
Add cucumbers and onion to dressing. Stir well to coat.
Refrigerate at least 45 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
Stir occasionally to keep all of it touching the marinade. Stir from the bottom when serving for optimum flavor.
Keep very cold as long as possible.