I had just finished breakfast, and as I was settling into my “Comfy Chair.”
My wife yelled out, “Joel! We are out of pickles, and you love having them with your sandwich; you better run to the store and pick up some!”
I responded sleepily, “I’m on it!”
I wish our town was not 16 miles away; I try to minimize my trips or consolidate them with high gas prices. I love a pickle with my sandwich, so I’m off!
Pickles as a food have been around as far back as 2400 BCE, found in the Tigris Valley, the cradle of civilization. Yes, back in Mesopotamia, they soaked cucumbers in a vinegar brine to preserve them. I wonder if they had sandwiches back then.
Cleopatra loved them and credited eating them with keeping her beautiful. Julius Caesar enjoyed them; “Et Tu, Pickle?” and Napoleon Bonaparte ate them frequently. I always wondered what Napoleon was holding in his right hand tucked in his shirt!
Pickles have an interesting history; Christopher Columbus brought them to the New World. Explorers loved them because they lasted so long on a journey. I guess he traded them for tobacco. In 1659, Dutch farmers began growing cucumbers, brined them in barrels, and sold them on the street, the start of the “Pickle Industry!”
At several World Fairs, H.J. Heinz gave out millions of “Pickle Pins” to those who stopped by and sampled his pickle. Great as a snack.
Drinking pickle juice is supposed to have many health benefits. In the year 2000, a win for the Philadelphia Eagles credited pickle juice for helping them perform in 109-degree weather! Pickle juice has probiotics, can help with blood sugar regulation, may support weight loss, has antioxidants, and may even help with a hangover! Pickles are rich in vitamin K & A. Pickles contain a lot of salt, so moderation or abstinence if you have high blood pressure or heart failure, please consult your caregiver.
There are many pickles on the market. I love Dill pickles, Bread & Butter pickles with tuna and mayo. There are Gherkins, Hungarian, Polish, German, Lime, jalapenos, and many more.
I wonder what would happen if Peter Piper picked a peck of pickles instead of pickled peppers? It might take less time if he chose barrel Kosher dills; they can be large!
I remember first liking pickles from watching old western movies; cowboys and city folk would sit in the General Store eating pickles out of the barrel and solving the world’s problems. When people say, “I’m in a Pickle,” I guess that might be a sour, salty predicament.
I think I will enjoy my chicken sandwich with a few dill pickles and think about times I have been in a “Pickle” myself!
“Remember, every day is a gift! Some are just a little more fun to open than others. – © Joel M. Vernier 08/7/2022 Author of: “The Guinea Pig In The Freezer.” joelmvernier@aol.com
