Alotta Monkey Business

Pickled

Written for National Pickle Day; prompt: National Pickle Day!

I was going to write about cleaning dirty hands and making bread today, but I seen it was National Pickle Day and had a change of mind.

I had recently read that some brands of pickles do not state they are pickles on the label, which has social media claiming that they aren't pickles because of this. Of course, if you believe social media (which is also what most of the news is) you've got more issues than pickles. Just my opinion and I hope I haven't offended anyone important.

Pickles can be a variety of items, so if anything, it would say pickled cucumbers or something similar. But in The U.S. most people think of pickles being pickled cucumbers. I fall into this category, it's just what we call them. But pickling can be accomplished with various vegetables, fruits, eggs, and meats. It was a way to preserve foods originally, but since pickled foods taste so good, it has continued over the years despite other means of preservation.

Pickling foods is one of the oldest methods of preserving food. The exact origins of the process are unknown, but archaeologists believe ancient Mesopotamians pickled food as far back as 2400 B.C. and several centuries later, cucumbers, native to India, were pickled to preserve them for transport. This is likely where the term "pickles" for pickled cucumbers originated.

A look at the history of pickles is rather interesting, and even though there have been alternate varieties of pickles over the centuries, the basic pickle hasn't changed. So, go enjoy a Gerkin or some Bread and Butter pickles or whatever type and style you favor. Eat them plain or deep fried, on a sandwich, or in food, after all, it is National Pickle Day!

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