National Pickle Day is the big dill of the food holiday calendar. If you love a crunchy spear next to your sandwich, this one is for you.
A brief history of pickles
Pickling is one of the oldest ways of preserving food, used for thousands of years to keep vegetables edible long after harvest. In the US, a pickle usually means a cucumber, whereas in the UK and other places the word can cover all sorts of preserved vegetables. Sailors, traders and home cooks all relied on the salty brine before the days of refrigerators.
How to celebrate National Pickle Day
- Try your hand at quick refrigerator pickles
- Compare dill, bread-and-butter and gherkin side by side
- Make fried pickles for a snack
- Add a pickle to your cocktail or martini, if you're feeling brave