The practice of pickling has existed for thousands of years but archaeologists believe that the first evidence of pickled cucumbers originates from Tigris River Valley civilizations.
The nutritional benefits of pickles and pickled vegetables would go on to be praised by such historical figures as Cleopatra, for her beauty; and Julius Caesar, whom fed pickles to his soldiers, convinced that these preserved vegetables would give them the strength and energy that they needed for his military campaigns.
It wasn’t until 1949 that the first observance of National Pickle Day began in the United States with encouragement from the Pickle Packers Association.
The date of November 14th was likely settled on as it came at the end of the harvest season. Harvest season has always been an appropriate time to honor the tradition of pickling, which has served many households over the years to prepare our pantries for the winter months to come.
So, why does this bumpy, green vegetable deserve such a national annual holiday in its honor? Turns out, pickles are about as “New World” American as you can get, with its likely first appearance on our shores coming from the crew of a ship which sailed the “ocean blue” in 1492. It’s believed that pickles were on board as a daily crew ration to prevent the dreaded scurvy as pickles are rich in vitamin C.
A few centuries later, cucumbers became a popular crop in both New York and Pennsylvania which spawned the pickled cucumber industry and eventually the style of Kosher Dill Pickles which evolved from New York’s Jewish community. Nowadays, 100,000 to 125,000 American acres are specifically devoted to growing pickling cucumbers and they’re grown in more than 30 states.
Studies indicate that more than 67% of all U.S. households eat pickles, all totaled, consuming about 5,200,000 pounds of pickles each year. Adding the pickles that are homemade, like your Great Lakes Pickling Company pickles, that number is NO DOUBT considerably higher!
Aside from enjoying your pickles directly from the pouch, pickles are a wonderful ingredient in so many recipes, and we have a growing list of delicious recipes.
And hot dog eating contests have NOTHING on our beloved pickles. The world record for pickle eating is 5 ½ pounds in 6 minutes.
And that’s an accomplishment to “relish”!
Modern pickle food trends:
- Pickles on a stick at fairs or carnivals aka Stick Pickles
- Deep-fried pickles wrapped in dough or dipped in breading and deep-fried
- Frozen Pickle Pops
- Pickle Bread
- And Numerous Dips, Casseroles, Soups and Entrees (find delicious pickling recipes here)
Be sure to mark your calendars for November 14th for National Pickle Day to partake in a culinary tradition as old as the founding of America.
Credits & Resources:
www.nationalpickleday.com
www.forbes.com/sites/rogersands
www.holidaycalendar.com/event/national-pickle-day
