What’s the deal with pickles? Let’s dive into the rich history behind this beloved brined snack.

Is there a better way to end your deli sandwich than with the satisfying crunch of a dill pickle? Pickle spears are a deli favorite across the nation, served alongside those hefty sandwiches.

Pickles are so cherished that the average American consumes roughly 9 pounds of them annually. But how did pickling begin, and more intriguingly, how did dill become the classic accompaniment to your deli sandwich?

The History of the Pickle

Pickles have been around for millennia, with their origins tracing back to 2030 B.C.E. when cucumbers started making their way across Mesopotamia. To preserve them for travel, they were immersed in an acidic brine—thus, the pickle was born. Ancient Chinese texts, over 9,000 years old, also mention the first pickles.

It is believed by anthropologists that Cleopatra considered pickles to be a source of beauty, with many other historical figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte and Julius Caesar also being fond of them.

When Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World, he carried pickles on board to help stave off scurvy among his crew. Meanwhile, the English brought their own sweet pickle recipes, made with vinegar, sugar, and spices, to the Americas.

The word 'pickle' likely comes from the Dutch term 'pekel' or the northern German 'pókel,' both meaning 'salt' or 'brine,' two essential components in the pickling process.

During the Victorian era in England, pickles were considered a symbol of wealth, as was the lavish pickle castor. This elegant piece of tableware was designed to hold pickled items. In the 19th century, many families with private gardens routinely pickled cucumbers, making them a staple of daily meals.

The Commercialization of Pickles

Between 1860 and 1890, pickle castors became more intricate, with designs featuring flowers and gargoyles. These ornate containers were often showcased as centerpieces on dining tables, adding a touch of elegance to the meal.

While pickles in castors were typically made at home, H.J. Heinz revolutionized the industry in 1860 with one of the first commercially produced pickles. His famous pickle pendant giveaway at the 1893 World's Fair became a key part of a marketing campaign that introduced Heinz's '57 varieties' of pickles, preserves, and other jarred foods, still regarded as one of the most successful marketing moves in American history.

Following Heinz's success, other major brands quickly emerged, including Clausen in 1870, Mount Olive Pickles in 1926, and Vlasic in 1942.

Today, many artisanal pickle makers have turned their passion for this age-old food into thriving businesses. For instance, Nick Melvin, the chief pickle officer at Doux South, a farm-to-table pickle company based in Atlanta, has had pickling in his life since childhood, when he spent summers with his grandmother in North Carolina.

"She had a fairly large garden for a suburban home and was always pickling the surplus from her harvest to preserve its freshness, especially when there was a glut of produce," Melvin recalls. "It was here that I first experienced and participated in the pickling process."

Doux South offers a variety of pickled products, including bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, as well as other pickled delights such as relish, tomatoes, onions, and the Southern favorite, chow chow.

The Dill Pickle and the Deli Sandwich

So, how did the dill pickle spear become a staple alongside deli sandwiches? The tradition started when Jewish immigrants opened delis in New York City in the 1930s. Many began serving dill pickles as palate cleansers because the pickle's sharp acidity provides a perfect counterbalance to the rich, fatty meats of the sandwich, while also adding a satisfying crunch.

As pickles became popular in New York delis, the trend spread nationwide. They were inexpensive and required little preparation, making them an easy side dish to include. Today, pickles are so ubiquitous with sandwiches that many restaurants and delis don’t even list them on the menu.

The Science of Pickling Cucumbers

What does it actually mean to 'pickle' something? Simply put, to pickle is to preserve. For cucumbers, this means soaking them in a brine—typically a mixture of vinegar and aromatic spices. The acidity of the brine prevents harmful bacteria from thriving, ensuring the cucumbers are preserved and transformed into pickles.

Another pickling method is salt-brining, where cucumbers are soaked in a salt solution instead of vinegar. This fermentation process encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria, which helps prevent spoilage by outcompeting harmful microbes. Many dill pickles are made using this fermentation technique.

Pickling isn't exclusive to cucumbers. You can pickle a wide variety of foods, from fruits and vegetables to fish, meats, and even eggs. Both kimchi and sauerkraut are made using the salt-brine fermentation method.

Ways to Spice Your Pickles

There are countless ways to prepare pickles, but here are some of Melvin’s favorite methods for adding flavor and spice to the mix.

"The art of pickling and preserving is an important tradition to pass down to future generations, as it played a crucial role in the lives of many in the past," Melvin shares. "Plus, it’s a fun and rewarding activity, and we can always use more of that!"