Cleopatra swore by them. So did Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Pickles have a very long history and can almost be found across all cultures. It is believed that pickles got their start more than 4,000 years ago, when ancient Mesopotamians began soaking cucumbers in acidic brine, to preserve them. Since then, they have been a staple around the globe, renowned for their heartiness, health benefits and delicious taste.
The health benefits of pickles were identified early. Queen Cleopatra included them in her diet to maintain her health and beauty. Apparently Roman emperor Julius Caesar gave pickles to his troops believing that it would make them strong. In 1942, Christopher Columbus rationed cucumber pickles to his sailors who suffered from diseases caused by vitamin C deficiency.
So where does the word ‘pickle’ come from? Pickle originates from the Dutch word pekel, meaning brine. But what about āchār; where did that come from? There is some debate over the origins of the word, but most believe that it has a Persian origin, and means ‘powdered or salted meats, vegetables or fruits, preserved in salt, vinegar, or syrup’.
In India, pickle-making started as the ancient art of preserving food by adding salt and vinegar or oil which later became an important part of the culture. The first-ever recorded pickle of Indian origin lies back to 2030 BCE. Different kinds of aromatic and flavorful oils are used for preservation such as mustard and sesame oil and Indian pickles are said to be one of the most delectable of all.
Below are examples of some popular pickles from across the world:
· In Korea, the pickle of choice is Kimchi. It is made from fermented vegetables, most cabbage, radish and carrots.
· A pickled cucumber seems to be the pickle of choice in the United States and Canada.
· Italian mostarda is a delectable sweet and spicy fruit preserve that has a rich historical lineage tracing back to the Middle Ages.
· Pickling food has been a cherished tradition in China since the Zhou dynasty, resulting in a remarkable array of more than 130 distinct types of Chinese pickles.
· Takuan, a traditional Japanese delicacy is made by pickling daikon radish.
· Tursu, an assortment of Turkish pickled vegetables, where they are arranged in vinegar filled jars, to mature for several months.
Each region globally lends so much of itself to what we eat. Pickles have travelled very long to become the most popular condiment in the world, and they can never be replaced on the palate.
