Information for Preservation
Sunday
Ancient Mesopotamians are believed to be the first culture to start pickling cucumbers over 4,000 years ago, soaking them in acidic brine. Other foods were also preserved in this way, since bacteria which would otherwise spoil the food cannot grow in this solution.
Monday
The term “in a pickle” is over 450 years old, but has several different meanings. It is most often used to convey that someone is in a tough spot, but Shakespeare used it to mean drunk, and in baseball, it means to be in a rundown, caught between bases.
Tuesday
Pickled foods played a big role in global exploration and conquests by reducing the frequency of scurvy, a weakening disease which often sickened sailors and soldiers without enough vitamin-C rich fruits and vegetables to eat during long voyages and campaigns.
Wednesday
Pickleball was born in 1965 by a Washington state congressman and a businessman who initially wanted to play badminton with their families, but could only find ping pong rackets and a perforated plastic ball. Fun was had, rules were written, and a new sport was born. The name is a reference to a “pickle boat” in crew, a boat filled with “leftover” rowers who weren’t chosen to start out. Today pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the US.
Thursday
The two main solutions which actually make food pickle are either salt (brine) or vinegar, both of which have long histories. For cucumbers, the additives or soaking methods then define the pickle type, such as dill pickles, kosher (garlic) pickles, lower-salt pickles (barrel-soaked), bread and butter (sugar), just to name just a few.
Friday
You might get into a pickle if you travel globally and try to order one. In the US, most pickled cucumbers are either of the larger dill-pickle size or of the smaller size known as gherkins. However, Americans often call both sizes “pickles,” while both sizes are called “gherkins” in Australia, India, and the UK, and still other parts of the world distinguish by size. The Gherkin is also an aptly-named London skyscraper.
Saturday
Why yes, there is a National Pickle Day (in the US, anyway), and it is November 14. It started in 1949 with perfectly predictable promotion from the Pickle Packers Association.