A pickled cucumber (commonly known as a pickle in the United States and Canada and a gherkin in Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand) is a usually small or miniature
cucumber that has been
pickled in a
brine,
vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment for some time, by either immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through
souring by
lacto-fermentation
Lactic acid fermentation is a metabolic process by which glucose or other six-carbon sugars (also, disaccharides of six-carbon sugars, e.g. sucrose or lactose) are converted into cellular energy and the metabolite lactate, which is lactic acid ...
. Pickled cucumbers are often part of
mixed pickles.
Historical origins
It is often claimed that pickled cucumbers were first developed for workers building the
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic grou ...
, though another hypothesis is that they were first made in the
Tigris Valley
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
of
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
, using cucumbers brought originally from
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
.
Types
Pickled cucumbers are highly popular in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and are a
delicacy in
northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
and
eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whi ...
.
Pickled cucumbers are flavored differently in different regions of the world.
Brined pickles
Brined pickles are prepared using the traditional process of natural fermentation in brine, making them grow sour. The salt concentration in the brine can vary between . Vinegar is not needed in the brine of naturally fermented pickled cucumbers.
The fermentation process depends on the
Lactobacillus bacteria that naturally occur on the skin of a growing cucumber. These may be removed during commercial harvesting and packing processes. Bacteria cultures can be reintroduced to the vegetables by adding already fermented foods such as
yogurt
Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bac ...
or other
fermented milk products, pieces of
sourdough bread, or
pickled vegetables such as
sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ...
.
Typically, small cucumbers are placed in a glass or ceramic vessel or a wooden barrel, together with various spices. Among those traditionally used in many recipes are
garlic,
horseradish, the whole
dill stems with umbels and green seeds, white
mustard seeds,
grape
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...
,
oak,
cherry,
blackcurrant
The blackcurrant (''Ribes nigrum''), also known as black currant or cassis, is a deciduous shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its edible berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia, whe ...
and
bay laurel leaves, dried allspice fruits, and—most importantly—
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
. The container is then filled with cooled, boiled water and kept under a non-airtight cover (often cloth tied on with string or a rubber band) for several weeks, depending on taste and external temperature. Traditionally, stones (also sterilized by boiling) are placed on top of the cucumbers to keep them under the water. The cucumber's sourness depends on the amount of salt added (saltier cucumbers tend to be sourer).
Since brined pickles are produced without vinegar, a film of bacteria forms on top of the brine. This does not indicate that the pickles have spoiled, and the film may be removed. They do not keep as long as cucumbers that are pickled with vinegar and usually must be refrigerated. Some commercial manufacturers add vinegar as a preservative.
Bread-and-butter
Bread-and-butter pickles are a marinated variety of pickled cucumber in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and spices. They may be chilled as refrigerator pickles or canned. Their name and broad popularity in the United States are attributed to Omar and Cora Fanning, Illinois cucumber farmers who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s. They filed for the trademark "Fanning's Bread and Butter Pickles" in 1923 (though the recipe and similar recipes are probably much older).
The story to the name is that the Fannings survived rough years by making the pickles with their surplus of undersized cucumbers and
bartering them with their grocer for staples such as bread and butter.
Their taste is often much sweeter than other types of pickle, due to the sweeter brine they are marinated in, but they differ from sweet pickles in that they are spiced with cilantro and other spices.
Gherkin
Gherkins, or baby pickles, are small cucumbers, typically those in length, often with bumpy skin, which are typically used for pickling.
The word ''gherkin'' comes from early modern
Dutch, ''gurken'' or ''augurken'' for "small pickled cucumber".
Cornichons are tart
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
pickles made from gherkins pickled in vinegar and
tarragon
Tarragon (''Artemisia dracunculus''), also known as estragon, is a species of perennial herb in the family Asteraceae. It is widespread in the wild across much of Eurasia and North America and is cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes. ...
. They traditionally accompany
pâtés and
cold cuts.
[Cornichons. CooksInfo.com. Published 8 June 2007. Updated 8 June 2007. Web. Retrieved 26 October 2012 from http://www.cooksinfo.com/cornichons] Sweet gherkins, which contain sugar in the pickling brine, are also a popular variety.
The term "gherkin" is also used in the name ''West Indian gherkin'' for ''
Cucumis anguria'', a closely related species. West Indian gherkins are also sometimes used as pickles.
Kosher dill
A "kosher" dill pickle is not necessarily
kosher in the sense that it has been prepared in accordance with
Jewish dietary law. Instead, it is a pickle made in the traditional manner of Jewish New York City pickle makers, with a generous addition of
garlic and
dill to natural salt brine.
In New York terminology, a "full-sour" kosher dill has fully fermented, while a "half-sour," given a shorter stay in the brine, is still crisp and bright green. Elsewhere, these pickles may sometimes be termed "old" and "new" dills.
Dill pickles (not necessarily described as "kosher") have been served in New York City since at least 1899.
Hungarian
In Hungary, while regular vinegar-pickled cucumbers ( hu, savanyú uborka) are made during most of the year, during the summer ''kovászos uborka'' ("leavened pickles") are made without the use of vinegar. Cucumbers are placed in a glass vessel along with spices (usually dill and garlic), water, and salt. Additionally, a slice or two of bread are placed at the top and bottom of the solution, and the container is left to sit in the sun for a few days so the yeast in the bread can help cause a fermentation process.
Polish and German
The
Polish- or
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
-style pickled cucumber ( pl, ogórek kiszony/kwaszony; german: Salzgurken), was developed in the northern parts of central and eastern
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. It has been exported worldwide and is found in the cuisines of many countries, including the United States, where immigrants introduced it. It is sour, similar to the kosher dill, but tends to be seasoned differently.
Traditionally, pickles were preserved in wooden barrels but are now sold in glass jars. A cucumber only pickled for a few days is different in taste (less sour) than one pickled for a longer time and is called ''ogórek małosolny'', which means "low-salt cucumber." This distinction is similar to the one between half- and full-sour types of kosher dills (see above).
Another kind of pickled cucumber popular in Poland is ''ogórek konserwowy/korniszon'' ("preserved cucumber"), which is rather sweet and vinegary in taste due to the different composition of the preserving solution.
Lime
Lime pickles are soaked in
pickling lime (not to be confused with the
citrus fruit
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
) rather than in a salt brine. This is done more to enhance texture (by making them crisper) rather than as a preservative. The lime is then rinsed off the pickles. Vinegar and sugar are often added after the 24-hour soak in lime, along with
pickling spices. If the rinse is incomplete, the acids will end up too weak to preserve the vegetable, compromising food safety.
[
The crisping effect of lime is caused by its ]calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...
content. A safer and more convenient alternative is calcium chloride, which is neutral and requires no rinsing.
Kool-Aid pickles
Kool-Aid pickles, or "koolickles," enjoyed by children in parts of the Southern United States, are created by soaking dill pickles in a mixture of Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid is an American brand of flavored drink mix owned by Kraft Heinz based in Chicago, Illinois. The powder form was created by Edwin Perkins in 1927 based upon a liquid concentrate called Fruit Smack.
History
Kool-Aid was invented by ...
and pickle brine.
Nutrition
Like pickled vegetables such as sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ...
, sour pickled cucumbers (technically a fruit) are low in calories. They also contain a moderate amount of vitamin K, specifically in the form of K1. A 30-gram sour pickled cucumber offers 12–16 µg, or approximately 15–20% of the Recommended Daily Allowance
The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is a system of nutrition recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the National Academies (United States). It was introduced in 1997 in order to broaden the existing guidelines known as Rec ...
, of vitamin K. It also offers of food energy, most of which comes from carbohydrate. However, most sour pickled cucumbers are also high in sodium; one pickled cucumber can contain 350–500 mg, or 15–20% of the American recommended daily limit of 2400 mg.
Sweet pickled cucumbers, including bread-and-butter pickles, are higher in calories due to their sugar content; a similar 30-gram portion may contain . Sweet pickled cucumbers also tend to contain significantly less sodium than sour pickles.
Pickles are being researched for their ability to act as vegetables with high probiotic content. Probiotics are typically associated with dairy products, but lactobacilli
The ''Lactobacillaceae'' are a family of lactic acid bacteria. It is the only family in the lactic acid bacteria which includes homofermentative and heterofermentative organisms; in the ''Lactobacillaceae,'' the pathway used for hexose fermentati ...
species such as '' L. plantarum'' and '' L. brevis'' has been shown to add to the nutritional value of pickles.
Serving
During the Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwa ...
, pickles were considered a luxury food, meaning households that served pickles were wealthy enough to have servants or staff who could prepare pickles. Middle- and upper-class households often served pickles in pickle castors, a glass container in an embellished silver holder. The pickles were served with coordinated silver tongs.
In the United States, pickles are often served as a side dish accompanying meals. This usually takes the form of a "pickle spear," a pickled cucumber cut lengthwise into quarters or sixths. Pickles may be used as a condiment on a hamburger or other sandwich (usually in slice form) or a sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...
or hot dog in chopped form as pickle relish
A relish is a cooked and pickled product made of chopped vegetables, fruits or herbs and is a food item typically used as a condiment to enhance a staple. Examples are chutneys and the North American relish, a pickled cucumber jam eaten with h ...
.
Soured cucumbers are commonly used in various dishes—for example, pickle-stuffed meatloaf, potato salad, or chicken salad
Chicken salad is any salad with chicken as a main ingredient. Other common ingredients may include mayonnaise, hard-boiled egg, celery, onion, pepper, pickles (or pickle relish) and a variety of mustards.
Description
In Canada and the Uni ...
—or consumed alone as an appetizer.
Pickles are sometimes served alone as festival foods, often on a stick. This is also done in Japan, where it is referred to as .
Dill pickles can be fried, typically deep-fried with a breading or batter surrounding the spear or slice. This is a popular dish in the southern US and a rising trend elsewhere in the US.
In Russia and Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
, pickles are used in rassolnik: a traditional soup made from pickled cucumbers, pearl barley, pork or beef kidneys, and various herbs. The dish is known to have existed as far back as the 15th century when it was called ''kalya''.
In southern England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, large gherkins pickled in vinegar are served as an accompaniment to fish and chips and are sold from big jars on the counter at a fish and chip shop, along with pickled onions. In the Cockney dialect of London, this type of gherkin is called a "wally."
Etymology
The term ''pickle'' is derived from the Dutch word ''pekel'', meaning ''brine''. In the United States and Canada, the word ''pickle'' alone used as a noun refers to a pickled cucumber (other types of pickled vegetables will be described using the adjective "pickled," such as "pickled onion," "pickled beets," etc.). In the UK ''pickle'' generally refers to a style of sweet, vinegary chutney
A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sauce ...
s, such as Branston pickle, commonly served with a ploughman's lunch
A ploughman's lunch is an English cold meal based around bread, cheese, and fresh or pickled onions.Hessayon, ''The new vegetable and herb expert'', 2014, p. 73 Additional items can be added such as ham, green salad, hard boiled eggs, and ...
.
The term traditionally used in British English to refer to a pickled cucumber, ''gherkin'', is also of Dutch origin, derived from the word ''gurken'' or ''augurken'', meaning ''cucumber''.
Gallery
File:Pickling cucumbers for sale in Kraków.jpg, Fresh pickling cucumbers for sale in Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...
File:Ogórki w trakcie kiszenia.jpg, Cucumbers in salted water with dill (Poland)
File:Spreewaldgurke2.jpg, German pickles called '' Spreewald gherkins''
File:1906 Dill Pickles Rag.jpg, Cover for 1906 U.S. ragtime piece "Dill Pickles"
File:Gherkins and Onions.JPG, Large gherkins and pickled onions in a fish and chip shop in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
File:Hot pickle.png, One pickle for individual sale, commonly found in convenience stores
Notes
See also
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Citations
General sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickled Cucumber
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Pickles
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