I used to have a love-hate relationship with pickles when I was little. I did not like them because they were too sour for me but now I can’t seem to get enough of them now. Lemon Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are my favorite food to pair them with. Whether I cut up the pickle or place a few Cheetos in the middle of the pickle.
How cucumbers for pickling are produced
Cucumbers have great health benefits; they are low in calories and can also lower your blood levels. Cucumbers contain more than 90% water, which seems unreal! But, when you think about it, given how much water it takes to nourish them, it makes sense. When growing cucumbers it needs to be warm because they are highly sensitive to the cold. Farmers use “Tunnel Row Cover” which help the cucumbers avoid growing sooner than expected date and wind damages.These covers also help during the cold months to keep the cucumbers at the right temperature to mature. They grow upwards so they can be exposed to better air circulation, which prevents the plants from getting fungal diseases.Cucumbers are very early prone to get viruses and diseases. They are often spayed with preventive fungal sprays. Cucumbers grow quickly, taking 50-70 days to mature. Because each cucumber matures at a different rate, you must keep a close watch on them to ensure they do not spoil. You must keep an eye out for fruit flies because they can cause damage to your plant. Cucumbers are quite environmentally friendly. They have lower carbon footprint than other produce.
Source: Shutterstock Cucumber field
The history of where pickles are produced and consumed
Pickles are simply cucumbers, in case you didn’t know. Pickling is simply the process of immersing fruits and vegetables in vinegar to extend their durability. But we’re only going to speak about cucumbers today. Unfortunately, there’s not much information about the history of pickles. What we do know is that they have been around for thousands of years and originate from India. Pickles are used as a side component and as an entrée, as it greatly enhances the flavor of the meal. The major advantage of pickles is that they aid digestion. Christopher Columbus was the first to bring pickles to the Americas. He choose pickles since they have a lengthy shelf life and would not have gone bad. Athletes drink the brine, often known as pickle juice, to help them recover from dehydration, but it has yet to be shown as a legitimate treatment.
Best Maid pickles are made here in Texas in Fort Hood.Pickles were first introduced by the Delton family in 1926, and they would even deliver them to your home. Just 20 years later, in 1946, the production continued to grow slowly. Best Maid delivers bees for pollination and is one of the few companies that know where their cucumbers come from. The plants are first trimmed and taken to the shed, where they will select the best pickles. Then they’re shipped out to be brined. Finally, the pickles will be transported to a facility where they will be processed and prepared for distribution.
Source: Best Maid website
The top three countries that consume a lot of pickles are Germany, India, and the Netherlands. Fun fact, the average American consumes about 9 pounds of pickles each year! Pickles come in a variety of forms and sizes and come in a range of flavors, including sour, sweet, and spicy. There are many cucumbers to use for pickling like Kirby, Bush, or Gherkin.
If you enjoy pickles as often as I do, you should consider making them at home! To get you started, below is a tasty recipe.
- Stir together vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and hot water until sugar and salt are dissolved, and let cool.
- Put the pickles, dill, red pepper and garlic into a large deep bowl and stir until the dill is evenly distributed.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. If they aren’t submerged, add a little more water until they are. Put a plate on top of the cukes to keep them down in the liquid, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Marinate for about 48 hours. These pickles will keep several weeks in the fridge, and they will get spicier over time. Once I go past the 48 hour mark, I keep them in a covered glass cookie jar in the brine – takes up less fridge space that way
Ingredients for spicy pickle
- 2 pounds of Kirby cucumbers (about 10 pickles), washed and halved or quartered
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds (you can find these in the spice aisle)
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like things!
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Source: Running To The Kitchen, homemade pickles
Blog post by Branya Arguello-Oporta
Bibliography
Pruitt, S. (2015). The juicy 4,000-year history of pickles. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/pickles-history-timeline.
Sánchez, E., & De Gioia, F. (2018). Cucumber Production. Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/cucumber-production
Tower, S. (2017, May ). The Best Dill In Texas. The Agriculturist. https://ttuagriculturist.com/2017/05/02/the-best-dill-in-texas/.
Tori, A.(2014).History in a Jar: The Story of Pickles. PBS Food. https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-pickles/
Schrader, W.,& Aguiar, J., &Mayberry, K.(2002) Cucumber Production in California. University Of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8050.pdf