Cucumbers become pickles through a process called pickling, which has been used to preserve a wide assortment of foods since at least 2,000 BCE. Pickling ferments foods with beneficial bacteria for flavor, and also preserves them in an acidic brine solution so that they will not go bad.
Are pickles baby cucumbers?
Gherkins are also known as baby pickles. They are small cucumbers, made especially for picking. … Related to gherkins are cornichons. These tiny little pickles are usually made with sugar and tarragon in the vinegar to give them their distinctive flavor.
Where did pickles originally come from?
Pickling likely first originated in ancient Mesopotamia around 2400 BCE. There is archaeological evidence of cucumbers being pickled in the Tigris Valley in 2030 BCE.