Food lovers the world over are tickled by pickles

In days gone by, the pickled cucumber—or gherkin, in British parlance—had a humble role in food. It showed up ornamentally or in tiny, grease-cutting portions on burgers and charcuterie boards. So limited were its uses that jars would languish at the back of refrigerators for years.

Today, however, pickles are having a moment, as a new generation of foodies has discovered their crunchy, tangy charms. On TikTok there are some 315,000 posts with the tag #pickles—more than with #cucumber and even #potatoes. Users film themselves trying dill, garlic, hot and sour varieties. (The flavour changes depending on what herbs and spices are used and whether the cucumber is soaked in vinegar or fermented in brine.) A video showing the assembly of an assorted “pickle platter” has more than 50m views.

Some pair pickles with confectionery for a sweet-savoury morsel. The chamoy pickle—a bright red, piquant iteration—has gone viral. Eaters unconcerned about heartburn or tooth decay eat it with sour candy, fruit strips, Cheetos and hot sauce. And recently Dua Lipa, a pop star, caused a stir by stirring pickle and jalapeño juice into her Diet Coke.

Van Holten’s, an American firm, is Gen Z’s preferred pickle purveyor. Its individually wrapped cucumbers are fun to tear open on camera. Last year the company sold some 85m units, up from 70m in 2022. “Laid end-to-end that would stretch from Miami to Seattle” four times over, says Eric Girard, the head of sales and marketing.

Enthusiasts are producing pickles at home, too. During the pandemic more people found time to experiment with pickling and fermenting. They found cucumber pickles an easy thing to make and a versatile ingredient to cook with. So strong is the interest that Grillo’s, another American brand, recently released a recipe book dedicated to the pickle, spanning condiments, cocktails and cakes.

The obsession is new, but the pickle’s history is long. Around 4,000 years ago ancient Mesopotamians pickled vegetables; over the centuries pickle fans have reportedly included Cleopatra, Christopher Columbus and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Health concerns may be partly behind the current boom. George Rice of Serious Pig, a British snack-maker, says people buy pickles because they are low in calories. There is also “a lot of chat about gut health”, and evidence suggests that fermented foods can strengthen the gastrointestinal microbiome. Pickles made with a salt brine fit the wellness bill; those made with vinegar do not, as vinegar is too acidic for the necessary bacteria.

Alan Kaufman says his shop in New York, The Pickle Guys, uses more than 1,000kg of cucumbers a week. Yet runners come for the flavoured, salty liquid, as it replaces the electrolytes lost during exercise. Tempted to dust off that jar in your fridge, chomp the contents—and pour yourself a cold glass of pickle juice?

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