Friday, November 14, 2014

It's National Pickle Day!

Hi!  Winnie Griggs here.  I have a "National Day of" calendar and I like to check out all the fun or unusual commemorations noted there, and it's true today is National Pickle Day.  (It's also National Spicy Guacamole Day for those who might be interested in that bit of trivia).  It's difficult to imagine who might lobby for these special recognition days, but since it is the pickle's special day, I thought I'd dig out and share some fun facts about this popular garnishment and snack item.


  • Pickles have been around for thousands of years - since at least 2030 BC in fact.  It was at this time
    that cucumbers were brought from India to the Tigris Valley.  There they were first preserved and consumed as pickles
  • The ancient Egyptians consumed pickles, not only for their nutritional value, but also because they believed it enhanced beauty.  In fact, Cleopatra credited her good looks to her full diet of pickles!
  • Both Julius Caesar and Napoleon fed pickles to their armies believing it would offer strength and good health to the troops
  • Amerigo Vespucci, the man America got its name from, was a pickle merchant.
  • The word pickle is derived from the Dutch word pekel, which means brine.
  • During WWII, the US government commandeered 40% of all US pickle production to be used in rations for the troops.
  • Drinking pickle brine is a common hangover cure in Poland
  • The first annual pickle day was celebrated in 2001 in New York City.
  • In The United States, over 2.5 BILLION pounds are consumed annually.
  • The record for the world's largest pickle is held by Vlasic.  This award winning pickle weighed nearly five pounds and measured 16 inches in length and had a 3-1/2 inch diameter. That's about 10 times the size of a 'normal' pickle.
  • More than half of the cucumbers grown in the US go into pickle production.
  • In Connecticut, in order for a pickle to earn the name pickle, it must bounce! 
There were many more of these fun facts that I uncovered in my research, but I think I'll stop there.

So are you a pickle fan or not?  And which of these bits of pickle trivia surprised you the most?


GIVEAWAY ALERT:  Since I'm excited about my new release, Her Holiday Family, I'd like to giveaway a copy to one person who leaves a comment on this blog today.

HER HOLIDAY FAMILY

What happens when a straight-laced young widow’s home is invaded by ten rambunctious orphans and their handsome caretaker just in time for the holidays...
Reserved widow Eileen Pierce never considered herself the kind of woman who was cut out to be a mother. She wouldn't know what to do with one child, much less ten. But when handyman Simon Tucker is stranded in town with a group of young orphans just before Thanksgiving, she discovers she can't just turn them away.

Simon knows there's more to Eileen than meets the eye. Though his easygoing demeanor immediately clashes with her buttoned-up propriety, Simon's kindness soon melts Eileen's stern facade. Simon and the children have already upended Eileen's quiet, orderly life. Will they do the same to her guarded heart?


8 comments:

Pamela Tracy said...

LOL, the only thing I could think of as I read your post is that your heroines are wearing green and green is the color of pickles. LOL. Now I want a pickle.

Kai said...

I'm a pickle fan. I just love the pickle and that vinegar taste. I love the crispiness when snapping it in half and the crunchiness.

Jennifer said...

Hi Winnie and fellow Ladies, What surprised me the most is where america got it's name from a guy who sold pickles. My family and I love the dill pickle!
Don't put me in the drawing for your lovely book, since I won it on The Crafty Ladies blog not to long ago. Thanks, Jenny

Leah said...

Hi Winnie: Happy for the success of the Girl next Door. And by the way, your pickle facts are very interesting. My favorite pickles are Kosher but I, too love pickles.

Helen Clouse said...

Our granddaughters are our pickle lovers.When they come to visit they always look in the pantry asking each other do you think grandpa remembered to buy our pickles while giggling all the time when they find them.

Melody said...

My new favorite chip is LAYS DILL PICKLE! As missionaries I can't get them here BUT my friends back home bought me a whole case of them!

Now that I'm old (55) I could handle 10 little surprise guests... but if I was young? I'd fainted! Looking forward to seeing how she handles it.

missionwife at Hotmail dot com

Charlyn said...

My favorite pickles were my mom's sweet pickles. When I think of pickles now, I think of the Andy Griffith Show and the episode with Aunt Bea making pickles. 😊

Kelly Blackwell @ Heres My Take On It said...

I laughed when I read this post. My friend Dave and I found out unexpectedly that pickle juice also is great for heartburn.

I am completely a pickle fan though I must admit, I don't eat them like I did when I was little. When I was growing up there was a store my dad would take me to after we picked up hay for our horses, they had ice cream among other things but I always wanted the gigantic dill pickles. :)

This looks like such a sweet story. What is more magical than children and Christmas!

KellysShining(at)gmail(dot)com