A classic companion to sandwiches, cucumber pickles are a crisp and piquant delicacy.
Cucumber pickles run the gamut in flavor from sweet to half-sour and sour, and come in shapes as varied as whole pickles, sliced pickles and pickle spears. Pickles fall into several categories: fermented pickles, or pickles that are cured via brine; refrigerated pickles, that are cured with the addition of acid; and fresh-packed pickles, which have been pasteurized.
Dill
Dill pickles use dill weed or oil of dill as the primary flavoring agent. They may be cured or fresh-packed. Within this group are a number of subgroups, such as the genuine dills, in which dill is added at the last stage of fermentation, resulting in a sour, concentrated taste; kosher dills, which may or may not be kosher, but use abundant amounts of garlic to flavor the pickles; and sours and half sours which are crispy refrigerated pickles that do not have vinegar in them and become progressively more sour over time. The World Health Organization's Codex Standards state that dill pickles should contain 0.4 percent to 2 percent acid and between 1 percent to 4.5 percent total salt.
Bread & Butter
In the genre of sweet pickles, bread and butter pickles are cut, sliced rounds of cucumber that have been cured in a sweet and spicy vinegar brine together with onions and chopped peppers. Other types of sweet pickles include candied pickles and gherkins. The Codex Alimentarius specifies that sweet pickles should have an acidity level of 0.5 percent to 2.5 percent.
Swedish
A Swedish style of pickle is prepared in thin slices from which some of the water has been removed. The slices are treated to a sweet and sour solution of vinegar, sugar, dill and mustard seeds. The ratio of vinegar to sugar to water will be approximately 1-to-2-to-3. Swedish pickles may be eaten the same day they are prepared. After pouring the solution over the sliced cucumbers, store in the refrigerator for a few hours. Serve with sour cream.
Gherkins
The tiny pickles called gherkins may be the dill type or sweet. While the gherkin is an actual species of cucumber, any small cucumber may be referred to as a gherkin for pickling purposes. In France, these small pickles are called cornichons and are used to accompany charcuterie and add a sweet textural element to salads.
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