Pickled cucumber

Lore & Background

The origins of pickled cucumbers are uncertain. One claim holds they were first developed for workers building the Great Wall of China, while another hypothesis places their first creation as early as 2030 BC in the Tigris Valley of Mesopotamia, using cucumbers brought from India. Archaeologists believe ancient Mesopotamians pickled food as far back as 2400 BC. Ancient sources document awareness of the nutritional benefits of pickles thousands of years ago, and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt credited pickles in her diet with contributing to her health and legendary beauty. During World War II, the U.S. government allocated 40% of the nation's pickle production to the armed forces, recognizing their importance in soldiers' diets.

Reader's Guide

Pickled cucumbers are highly popular in the United States and are a delicacy in northern and eastern Europe, with regional variations in flavoring. Brined pickles rely on natural fermentation by Lactobacillus bacteria, while bread-and-butter pickles are marinated in a sweet and sour vinegar solution. Kosher dill pickles, associated with Jewish New York City pickle makers, are made with garlic and dill in natural salt brine, with 'full-sour' and 'half-sour' varieties. Hungarian kovászos uborka uses bread to aid fermentation, and Polish and German styles include both fermented and vinegar-preserved types. Nutritionally, sour pickled cucumbers are low in calories and provide vitamin K but are high in sodium; sweet varieties contain more calories from sugar. The term 'gherkin' also applies to West Indian gherkins (Cucumis anguria), a related species used for pickling.

Did You Know?

• The word 'gherkin' comes from early modern Dutch 'gurken' or 'augurken', meaning 'small pickled cucumber'.
• Kool-Aid pickles, or 'koolickles', are made by soaking dill pickles in a mixture of powdered Kool-Aid and pickle brine.