View source for Pickled cucumber

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{{Redirect|Dill pickles|the ''Rugrats'' character|Dil Pickles}}
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{{More citations needed|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox food
|name            = Pickled cucumber
|image           = Pickle.jpg
|caption         = A [[delicatessen|deli]] dill pickle
|alternate_name  = Pickle, gherkin
|country         =
|region          =
|creator         =
|course          = [[Hors d'oeuvre]]
|type            =
|served          =
|main_ingredient = [[Cucumber]], [[brine]] or [[vinegar]] or other solution
|variations      = Cornichon, gherkin
|calories        =
|other           =
}}

A '''pickled cucumber''' – commonly known as a '''pickle''' in the United States and Canada and a '''gherkin''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|g|ɜr|k|ɪ|n}} {{respell|GUR|kin}}) in Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand – is a usually small or miniature [[cucumber]] that has been [[Pickling|pickled]] in a [[Brine (food)|brine]], [[vinegar]], or other solution and left to ferment. The fermentation process is executed either by immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through [[souring]] by [[lacto-fermentation]]. 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]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qa9EDwAAQBAJ&q=pickled%2Bcucumbers%2Binvented%2Bfor%2Bgreat%2Bwall%2Bof%2Bchina&pg=PA544|title=Understanding Food: Principles and Preparation|last=Brown|first=Amy Christine|date=2018-01-01|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-1-337-55756-6|language=en|access-date=2023-06-21|archive-date=2023-06-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621062335/https://books.google.com/books?id=Qa9EDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA544&q=pickled%2Bcucumbers%2Binvented%2Bfor%2Bgreat%2Bwall%2Bof%2Bchina|url-status=live}}</ref> though another hypothesis is that they were first made as early as 2030 BC in the [[Tigris Valley]] of [[Mesopotamia]], using cucumbers brought originally from [[India]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pbs.org/food/stories/history-pickles|title=History in a Jar: Story of Pickles {{!}} The History Kitchen {{!}} PBS Food|date=2014-09-03|work=PBS Food|access-date=2018-06-12|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319003357/https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-pickles/|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to the New York Food Museum, archaeologists believe ancient Mesopotamians pickled food as far back as 2400 B.C. while, centuries later, cucumbers native to India were being pickled in the Tigris Valley.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nyfoodmuseum.org/_ptime.htm |title=A Pickle Timeline |author= |date= |website=NY Food Museum |access-date=2025-01-07 }}</ref> Ancient sources and historians have documented awareness around the nutritional benefits of pickles thousands of years ago as well as the perceived beauty benefits of pickles— Queen Cleopatra of Egypt credited the pickles in her diet with contributing to her health and legendary beauty.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.history.com/news/pickles-history-timeline |title=Pickle History Timeline |author= |date= 21 May 2015|website=History.com |access-date=2025-01-07 }}</ref>

During World War II, the U.S. government recognized the importance of pickles in soldiers' diets and allocated 40% of the nation's pickle production to the armed forces.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/food/stories/history-pickles |title=The History of Pickles |author= |date= |website=PBS Food |access-date=2025-01-07 }}</ref>

==Types==
[[File:Pickled cucumber.jpg|thumb|Pickled cucumber in glass jar]]Pickled cucumbers are highly popular in the [[United States]] and are a [[delicacy]] in [[Northern Europe|northern]] and [[eastern Europe]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pickle |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/pickle |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013073026/https://www.britannica.com/topic/pickle |url-status=live }}</ref> Pickled cucumbers are flavored differently in different regions of the world.<ref name=":0" />

===Brined pickles===
Brined pickles are prepared using the traditional process of natural fermentation in brine, making them grow sour.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schiebel |first1=Morgan |title=What's up with cloudy brine? |date=19 August 2020 |url=https://www.olykraut.com/blog/whats-up-with-cloudy-brine/ |publisher=OlyKraut |access-date=6 August 2021 |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806233832/https://www.olykraut.com/blog/whats-up-with-cloudy-brine/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The salt concentration in the brine can vary between {{convert|20|-|40|g/L|oz/impgal oz/USgal|frac=4}}. 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]] or other [[fermented milk product]]s, pieces of [[sourdough]] bread, or [[mixed pickles|pickled vegetables]] such as [[sauerkraut]].

[[File:浅漬 キュウリ (2710929826).jpg|thumb|Japanese ''[[asazuke]]'' pickled cucumbers being sold as [[street food]]]]
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 seed|mustard]] seeds, [[grape]], [[oak]], [[cherry]], [[blackcurrant]] and [[bay laurel]] leaves, dried allspice fruits, and—most importantly—[[Salt#Edible salt|salt]]. 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===
[[File:Bread and butter pickles.jpg|thumb|150px|A jar of bread-and-butter pickles]]
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 {{whom|attributed|date=March 2023}} 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).<ref name="tmse_Trad">{{Cite web| title = Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)| author = United States Patent and Trademark Office| work = tmsearch.uspto.gov| access-date = 22 January 2015| url = http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4804:w0tp83.2.3| archive-date = 14 August 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170814180954/http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4804:w0tp83.2.3| url-status = live}}</ref> The story to the name is that the Fannings survived rough years by making the pickles with their surplus of undersized cucumbers and [[barter]]ing them with their grocer for staples such as bread and butter.<ref name="cook_Brea">{{Cite web| title = Bread and Butter Pickles| last = Oulton| first = Randal W.| work = CooksInfo.com| access-date = 22 January 2015| url = https://www.cooksinfo.com/bread-and-butter-pickles| archive-date = 22 January 2015| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150122232524/http://www.cooksinfo.com/bread-and-butter-pickles| url-status = live}}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Gherkin===
{{redirect|Gherkin}}
Gherkins are small cucumbers, typically those {{convert|1|to|5|in|cm|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} in length, often with bumpy skin, which are typically used for pickling.<ref name="zon">{{cite web|title=Gherkins|url=http://www.royalzon.com/en/consumer/fruit-vegetables/gherkins|publisher=Zon|access-date=13 November 2017|location=Venlo, Netherlands|date=2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114040538/http://www.royalzon.com/en/consumer/fruit-vegetables/gherkins|archive-date=14 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="wifss">{{cite web|title=Cucumbers|url=http://www.wifss.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FDA_WIFSS_-Cucumbers_PDF.pdf|publisher=Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, US Department of Agriculture|access-date=13 November 2017|location=University of California-Davis|date=May 2016|archive-date=18 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918065319/http://www.wifss.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FDA_WIFSS_-Cucumbers_PDF.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="india">{{cite web|title=Cucumbers and gherkins|url=http://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/SubHead_Products/Cucumber_and_Gherkins.htm|publisher=Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Government of India|access-date=13 November 2017|date=2015|archive-date=14 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114040414/http://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/SubHead_Products/Cucumber_and_Gherkins.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The word ''gherkin'' comes from early modern [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''gurken'' or ''augurken,'' 'small pickled cucumber'.<ref name="auto">{{cite dictionary|title=Word origin and history for gherkin|url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/gherkin|dictionary=Dictionary.com|access-date=13 November 2017|date=2017|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113222210/http://www.dictionary.com/browse/gherkin|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cornichons, or baby pickles, are tart [[French cuisine|French]] pickles made from gherkins pickled in vinegar and [[tarragon]]. They traditionally accompany [[pâté]]s and [[cold cuts]].<ref name=cornichon>{{cite web|title=Cornichons|website=CooksInfo.com|orig-date=21 June 2004|date=9 June 2018|access-date=26 October 2012|url=http://www.cooksinfo.com/cornichons|archive-date=23 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923030705/http://www.cooksinfo.com/cornichons|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kitchn">{{cite web|title=What's The Deal With Cornichons?|work=Kitchn |url=http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-deal-with-cornichons-117240|publisher=The Kitchn|access-date=13 November 2017|date=2017|archive-date=14 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114040631/http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-deal-with-cornichons-117240|url-status=live}}</ref> Sweet gherkins, which contain sugar in the pickling brine, are also a popular variety.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

The term ''gherkin'' is also used in the name ''West Indian gherkin'' for ''[[Cucumis anguria]]'', a closely related species.<ref>{{cite web|title=West Indian gherkin, ''Cucumis anguria'' L.|url=http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cucumis+anguria|publisher=Plants for a Future|access-date=13 November 2017|date=2012|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113222910/http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cucumis+anguria|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Allotment Cookbook|first=Kathryn|last=Hawkins|location=London|publisher=New Holland Publishers|date=2007|page=42|isbn=978-1-84537-719-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/vegetables/cucumber.html|title=Cucumber - Archives - Aggie Horticulture|first=Martin|last=Anderson|website=Texas AgriLife Extension Service|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=22 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822033618/http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/vegetables/cucumber.html|url-status=live}}</ref> West Indian gherkins are also sometimes used as pickles.<ref name=fao>{{cite web |url=http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/cropView?id=5008 |title=''Cucumis anguria'' |work=EcoCrop |date=1993–2007 |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|FAO]] |access-date=4 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702205633/http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/cropView?id=5008 |archive-date=2 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Kosher dill===
{{For|the rapper|Kosha Dillz}}
[[File:Half Sour vs Kosher Dill.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Half sour (left) vs "full sour" kosher dill (right)]]
A "kosher" dill pickle is not necessarily [[kosher]] in the sense that it has been prepared in accordance with [[kashrut|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 [[Brine|salt brine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyfoodmuseum.org/_pkwhat.htm|title=Untitled Document|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=17 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917185742/http://www.nyfoodmuseum.org/_pkwhat.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kosher">{{Cite web | last = Zeldes | first = Leah A. | title = Origins of neon relish and other Chicago hot dog conundrums | work = Dining Chicago | publisher = Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. | date = 20 July 2010 | url = http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/20/chicago-hot-dog-yellow-mustard-neon-green-relish#pickle | quote = 'Kosher-style' means the pickles are naturally fermented in a salt brine.... | access-date = 2 August 2010 | archive-date = 10 July 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110710130712/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/07/20/chicago-hot-dog-yellow-mustard-neon-green-relish/#pickle | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm|title=Judaism 101: Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225093709/http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In New York terminology, a "full-sour" kosher dill is fully fermented, while a "half-sour", given a shorter stay in the brine, is still crisp and bright green.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dill Pickles |work=CooksInfo.com |date=5 March 2010 |access-date=26 October 2012 |url=http://www.cooksinfo.com/dill-pickles |archive-date=23 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923032341/http://www.cooksinfo.com/dill-pickles |url-status=live }}</ref>

Dill pickles, whether or not described as "kosher", have been served in New York City since at least 1899.<ref>{{cite web |year=1900 |title=DINNER [held by] HAAN'S [at] "PARK ROW BUILDING, [NY]" (REST;) |url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-593e-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 |access-date=11 June 2015 |work=[[NYPL Digital Collections]] |archive-date=7 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907234615/http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-593e-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Hungarian===
In Hungary, while regular vinegar-pickled cucumbers ({{langx|hu|savanyú uborka}} {{IPA|hu|ˈʃɒvɒɲuː ˈuborkɒ|}}) 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kovászos Uborka|website=Chew.hu|publisher=All Hungary Media Group|access-date=24 August 2017|url=http://www.chew.hu/kovaszos_uborka/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722194146/http://www.chew.hu/kovaszos_uborka/|archive-date=22 July 2012|date=22 July 2009}}</ref>

===Polish and German===
The [[Polish cuisine|Polish]]- or [[German cuisine|German]]-style pickled cucumber ({{langx|pl|ogórek kiszony}} {{IPA|pl|ɔˈɡurɛk kʲiˈʂɔnɨ|}} or {{lang|pl|ogórek kwaszony}} {{IPA|pl|ɔˈɡurɛk kfaˈʂɔnɨ|}}; {{langx|de|Salzgurken}} {{IPA|de|ˈzaltsɡʊʁkn̩||De-Salzgurken.ogg}}) was developed in the northern parts of central and eastern [[Europe]]. 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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

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).{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Lime===
Lime pickles are soaked in [[pickling lime]] (not to be confused with the [[Lime (fruit)|citrus fruit]]) rather than in a salt brine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/pickles/01/rec0113.html|title=RecipeSource: Lime Pickles|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=21 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421053822/http://recipesource.com/fgv/pickles/01/rec0113.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref name=PSE/>

The crisping effect of lime is caused by its [[calcium]] content. A safer and more convenient alternative is [[calcium chloride]], which is neutral and requires no rinsing.<ref name=PSE>{{cite web |title=Crispy Pickles |url=https://extension.psu.edu/crispy-pickles |website=Penn State Extension |language=en |access-date=2022-08-15 |archive-date=2022-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220919194020/https://extension.psu.edu/crispy-pickles |url-status=live }}</ref>

===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 powdered [[Kool-Aid]] and pickle brine.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09kool.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |title=A Sweet So Sour: Kool-Aid Dills |first=John T. |last=Edge |date=9 May 2007 |access-date=23 February 2017 |archive-date=20 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220144615/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09kool.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Kat |date=2021-12-22 |title=We Try TikTok Famous Kool-Aid Pickles |url=https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/kool-aid-pickles-taste-test |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Thrillist |language=en |archive-date=2023-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618033031/https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/kool-aid-pickles-taste-test |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Southern Living]]'' reported that fruit punch and cherry Kool-Aid were the most popular flavors for pickling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lande |first=Samantha |date=September 7, 2022 |title=Kool-Aid Pickles |url=https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/kool-aid-pickles |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Southern Living |language=en |archive-date=2023-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618033032/https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/kool-aid-pickles |url-status=live }}</ref> The flesh of Kool-Aid pickles typically takes on a pink color.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kool-Aid Pickles: A Review |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/food/recipes/kool-aid-pickle-recipe-review |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=Paste Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618033032/https://www.pastemagazine.com/food/recipes/kool-aid-pickle-recipe-review |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Nutrition==
Similar to pickled vegetables such as [[sauerkraut]], sour pickled cucumbers (technically a fruit) are low in calories. They also contain a moderate amount of [[vitamin K]], specifically in the form of [[Vitamin K1|K<sub>1</sub>]]. A {{convert|30|g|adj=on}} sour pickled cucumber offers 12–16&nbsp;μg, or approximately 15–20% of the [[Recommended Daily Allowance]], of vitamin&nbsp;K. It also offers {{convert|3|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=on}} of [[food energy]], most of which comes from carbohydrate.<ref>USDA SR22 (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ [https://www.nal.usda.gov/human-nutrition-and-food-safety/dri-calculator]) – "Pickles, cucumber, sour," (30&nbsp;g): 0.10&nbsp;g protein; 0.68&nbsp;g carbohydrates; 0.06&nbsp;g fat</ref> However, most sour pickled cucumbers are also high in sodium; one pickled cucumber can contain 350–500&nbsp;mg, or 15–20% of the American recommended daily limit of 2400&nbsp;mg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3008/2|title=Nutrition Facts|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=13 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413072905/http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3008/2|url-status=live}}</ref>

Sweet pickled cucumbers, including bread-and-butter pickles, are higher in calories due to their sugar content; a similar {{convert|30|g|adj=on}} portion may contain {{convert|20|to|30|kcal|-1|order=flip|abbr=on}}. Sweet pickled cucumbers also tend to contain significantly less sodium than sour pickles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3007/2|title=Nutrition Facts|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=1 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701030953/http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3007/2|url-status=live}}</ref>

Pickles are being researched for their ability to act as vegetables with high probiotic content. [[Probiotics]] are typically associated with dairy products, but [[lactobacilli]] species such as ''[[Lactobacillus plantarum|L. plantarum]]'' and ''[[Lactobacillus brevis|L. brevis]]'' has been shown to add to the nutritional value of pickles.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Tokatli|first1=Mehmet|last2=Gulgor|first2=Goksen|last3=Elmaci|first3=Simel Bagder|last4=Isleyen|first4=Nurdan Arslankoz|last5=Ozcelik|first5=Filiz|title=In Vitro Properties of Potential Probiotic Indigenous Lactic Acid Bacteria Originating from Traditional Pickles|journal=BioMed Research International|date=17 May 2015|volume=2015|page=1<!--|pages=8-->|doi=10.1155/2015/315819|pmc=4460932|pmid=26101771|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Serving==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
[[File:Breaded pickle.jpg|thumb|A breaded pickle]]
[[File:Fried pickles.jpg|thumb|Fried pickles]]

During the [[Victorian era]], 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.<ref name="WongThuras">{{cite book |last1=Wong |first1=Cecily |last2=Thuras |first2=Dylan |title=Gastro obscura : a food adventurer's guide |date=2021 |publisher=Workman Publishing Company |location=New York |isbn=978-1-5235-0219-6|page=6}}</ref>

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]] or [[hot dog]] in chopped form as [[pickle relish]].

Soured cucumbers are commonly used in various dishes—for example, pickle-stuffed meatloaf, potato salad, or [[chicken salad]]—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 {{Nihongo|"stick pickle"|一本漬|ippon-tsuke}}.

Dill pickles can be [[Frying|fried]], typically [[Deep-frying|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.<ref name="fried">{{Cite web | last = Zeldes | first = Leah A. | title = Eat this! Southern-fried dill pickles, a rising trend | work = Dining Chicago | publisher = Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. | date = 2 December 2009 | url = http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/12/02/eat-this-southern-fried-dill-pickles-a-rising-trend/ | access-date = 2 August 2010 | archive-date = 6 January 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200106125013/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/12/02/eat-this-southern-fried-dill-pickles-a-rising-trend/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In Russia and [[Ukraine]], 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]], 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 onion]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last=Le Vay |first=Benedict |title=Eccentric Britain: The Bradt Guide to Britain's Follies and Foibles |year=2005 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NDtK62KVHtQC&q=gherkin%2Bfish%2Band%2Bchip%2Bshop&pg=PA261 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |page=261 |isbn=1-84162-011-4 |access-date=2023-06-21 |archive-date=2023-06-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621062335/https://books.google.com/books?id=NDtK62KVHtQC&pg=PA261&q=gherkin%2Bfish%2Band%2Bchip%2Bshop |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[Cockney]] dialect of London, this type of gherkin is called a "wally".<ref>{{cite book |last=Dale |first=Rodney |date=2000 |title=The Wordsworth Dictionary of Culinary & Menu Terms |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zUEMh06i2J4C&q=gherkin%2B%2522wally%2522&pg=PA460 |publisher=Wordsworth Editions Ltd |page=460 |isbn=1-84022-300-6 |access-date=2023-06-21 |archive-date=2023-06-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621062337/https://books.google.com/books?id=zUEMh06i2J4C&pg=PA460&q=gherkin%2B%2522wally%2522 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Etymology==
The term ''pickle'' is derived from the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] word ''pekel'', meaning ''brine''.<ref name=etym>{{cite web|last=Online Etymology Dictionary|title=Pickle|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=pickle&searchmode=none|publisher=Douglas Harper|access-date=26 October 2012|archive-date=2 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702042304/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=pickle&searchmode=none|url-status=live}}</ref> 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]]s, such as [[Branston (brand)#Original pickle|Branston pickle]], commonly served with a [[ploughman's lunch]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

The term traditionally used in British English to refer to a pickled cucumber, ''gherkin'', is also of [[Dutch language|Dutch]] origin, derived from the word ''gurken'' or ''augurken'', meaning ''cucumber''.<ref name=etym2>{{cite web|last=Online Etymology Dictionary|title=gherkin|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/gherkin|publisher=Douglas Harper|access-date=20 February 2020|archive-date=20 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020035543/https://www.etymonline.com/word/gherkin|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Pickling cucumbers for sale in Kraków.jpg|Fresh pickling cucumbers for sale in [[Kraków]]
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]]
File:Hot pickle.png|One pickle for individual sale, commonly found in [[convenience store]]s
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* {{annotated link|Glowing pickle demonstration}}
* {{annotated link|List of pickled foods}}
* {{annotated link|Pickle soup}}
* {{annotated link|Pickle lifter}}
* {{annotated link|Picklesburgh}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{reflist|30em}}

=== General sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book
 | last1        = Battcock
 | first1       = Mike
 | last2       = Azam-Ali
 | first2      = Sue
 | year        = 1998
 | title       = Fermented Fruits and Vegetables: A Global Perspective
 | place       = Rome
 | publisher   = [[Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations]]
 | url         = http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0560E/x0560e11.htm
 | isbn        = 92-5-104226-8
 | oclc        = 41178885}}
* {{Cite book
 | last        = Cross
 | first       = Nanna
 | editor-last = Hui
 | editor-first= Yiu H.
 | year        = 2006
 | chapter     = Pickle Manufacturing in the United States: Quality Assurance and Establishment Inspection
 | title       = Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering
 | volume      = 2
 | publisher   = Taylor & Francis Group
 | pages       = 70/1–70/12
 | url         = {{GBurl|id=brdM8-ahRg4C|pg=SA70-PA1}}
 | isbn        = 0-8493-9848-7}}
* {{Cite journal
 | last        = Elkner
 | first       = Krystyna
 | year        = 2016
 | issue       = 8
 | title       = Jakość ogórków kiszonych
 |trans-title=Quality of pickled cucumbers
 | language    = pl
 | journal     = Hasło Ogrodnicze
 | place       = Kraków
 | publisher   = Plantpress
 | url         = http://www.ho.haslo.pl/article.php?id=1828
 }}
* {{Cite book
 | last1        = Fleming
 | first1       = H.P.
 | last2       = McFeeters
 | first2      = R.F.
 | last3       = Breidt
 | first3      = F.
 | editor-last   = Downes
 | editor-first  = Pouch
 | editor-last2  = Ito
 | editor-first2 = Keith
 | year        = 2001
 | chapter     = Fermented and Acidified Vegetables
 | title       = Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods
 | place       = Washington, DC
 | publisher   = American Public Health Association
 | pages       = 521–532
 | url         = http://fbns.ncsu.edu/USDAARS/Acrobatpubs/P287-321/P295.pdf }}
* {{Cite book
 | last1        = Frazier
 | first1       = William C.
 | last2       = Westoff
 | first2      = Dennis C.
 | last3       = Vanitha
 | first3      = K.N.
 | year        = 1971
 | title       = Food Microbiology
 | publisher   = McGraw-Hill Education
 | url         = {{GBurl|id=7biaBAAAQBAJ|pg=PT338}}
 | isbn        = 93-392-0322-4}}
* {{Cite book
 | last        = Marks
 | first       = Gil
 | year        = 2008
 | title       = Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World
 | place       = Hoboken, NJ
 | publisher   = Wiley Publishing
 | url         ={{GBurl|id=Lb3MVYVp_9sC|pg=PT105}}
 | isbn        = 978-0-7645-4413-2 }}
* {{Cite book
 | last        = Osińska
 | first       = Jadwiga
 | year        = 1950
 | title       = Ogórki kiszone
 |trans-title=Pickled cucumbers
 | language    = pl
 | place       = Warszawa
 | publisher   = Państwowe Wydawnictwa Techniczne }}
* {{Cite journal
 | last1        = Swain
 | first1       = Manas Ranjan
 | last2       = Anandharaj
 | first2      = Marimuthu
 | last3       = Ray
 | first3      = Ramesh Chandra
 | last4       = Parveen Rani
 | first4      = Rizwana
 | year        = 2014
 | title       = Fermented Fruits and Vegetables of Asia: A Potential Source of Probiotics
 | journal     = Biotechnology Research International
 | publisher   = Hindawi Publishing Corporation
 | pmc         = 4058509
 | issn        = 2090-3146
 | doi         = 10.1155/2014/250424
 | pmid=25343046
 | volume=2014
 | pages=250424| doi-access = free
 }}
* {{Cite web
 | title       = The Pickle Wing
 | place       = New York
 | publisher   = The NY Food Museum
 | url         = http://www.nyfoodmuseum.org/ }}
* {{Cite book
 | last1        = Wacher
 | first1       = Carmen
 | last2       = Díaz-Ruiz
 | first2      = Gloria
 | last3       = Tamang
 | first3      = Jyoti Prakash
 | editor-last   = Tamang
 | editor-first  = J.P.
 | editor-last2  = Kailasapathy
 | editor-first2 = Kasipathy
 | year        = 2010
 | chapter     = Fermented Vegetable Products
 | title       = Fermented Foods and Beverages of the World
 | publisher   = Taylor & Francis Group
 | pages       = 151–190
 | chapter-url = {{GBurl|id=MJTLBQAAQBAJ|p=149}}
 | isbn        = 978-1-4200-9496-1 }}
{{refend}}
==External links==
<!-- If more links are added, switch back to regular Wiktionary template. -->
* {{Wiktionary-inline|pickle}}

{{Lebanese cuisine|state=collapsed}}
{{Jewish cuisine|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickled Cucumber}}
[[Category:American cuisine]]
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[[Category:Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine]]
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[[Category:Pickles]]
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[[Category:Types of food]]
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[[Category:Vegetable dishes]]
[[Category:Cucumber]]