The fermentation process is executed either by immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation.

[3] Ancient sources and historians have documented awareness around the nutritional benefits of pickles thousands of years ago as well as the perceived beauty benefits of pickles— Queen Cleopatra of Egypt credited the pickles in her diet with contributing to her health and legendary beauty.

[5] Pickled cucumbers are highly popular in the United States and are a delicacy in northern and eastern Europe.

The fermentation process depends on the Lactobacillus bacteria that naturally occur on the skin of a growing cucumber.

Typically, small cucumbers are placed in a glass or ceramic vessel or a wooden barrel, together with various spices.

Among those traditionally used in many recipes are garlic, horseradish, the whole dill stems with umbels and green seeds, white mustard seeds, grape, oak, cherry, blackcurrant and bay laurel leaves, dried allspice fruits, and—most importantly—salt.

The container is then filled with cooled, boiled water and kept under a non-airtight cover (often cloth tied on with string or a rubber band) for several weeks, depending on taste and external temperature.

to Omar and Cora Fanning, Illinois cucumber farmers who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s.

[8] The story to the name is that the Fannings survived rough years by making the pickles with their surplus of undersized cucumbers and bartering them with their grocer for staples such as bread and butter.

[10][11][12] The word gherkin comes from early modern Dutch gurken or augurken, 'small pickled cucumber'.

[20][21][22] In New York terminology, a "full-sour" kosher dill is fully fermented, while a "half-sour", given a shorter stay in the brine, is still crisp and bright green.

It has been exported worldwide and is found in the cuisines of many countries, including the United States, where immigrants introduced it.

[citation needed] Traditionally, pickles were preserved in wooden barrels but are now sold in glass jars.

If the rinse is incomplete, the acids will end up too weak to preserve the vegetable, compromising food safety.

[28][29] Southern Living reported that fruit punch and cherry Kool-Aid were the most popular flavors for pickling.

Probiotics are typically associated with dairy products, but lactobacilli species such as L. plantarum and L. brevis has been shown to add to the nutritional value of pickles.

Soured cucumbers are commonly used in various dishes—for example, pickle-stuffed meatloaf, potato salad, or chicken salad—or consumed alone as an appetizer.

Dill pickles can be fried, typically deep-fried with a breading or batter surrounding the spear or slice.