…all my life I have hated gherkins… since forever… I’m now 72… and… I found out something the other day during a conversation with my sweet darling wife… she was preparing me lunch… this is roughly how the conversation went…
Wife:… “do you want some gherkins on your roll for a change?”…
Me:… “babe… they’re disgusting… you know that I hate them because I always take them off my big macs and stuff”…
Wife:… “but you really love cucumbers… you eat baby cucumbers all the time like they’re apples or something to refresh you all the time!”…
Me:… “yeh… so what’s that got to do with anything?”…
Wife:… “gherkins are small cucumbers”…
Me:… “bullshit!… cucumbers grow on the ground and gherkins grow on a vine!… um… they do don’t they?”…
Wife:… “are you serious? (she laughs)… you are 72 years old and think that gherkins and cucumbers are two different plants?…
am I ever wrong?… (which she
never is… hence me starting to worry lol!)… Google it if you don’t believe me… (now I
know she’s right but stubbornly refuse to believe it in the vain hope that she’s wrong for a change)… I know that I’m right… go on… Google it”…
Me:…”okay… I will!”… (sounding like a spoiled brat who knows that he is in deep shit because she’s never wrong lol!)… I type in… ‘are gherkins small cucumbers?’… this is what it said…
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Overview

Yes, gherkins are small cucumbers, typically 1 to 5 inches long, known for their firm, bumpy skin and used for pickling. The word "gherkin" itself originates from a Dutch term for "small pickled cucumber". While "gherkin" can also refer to other small, pickle-friendly cucumber varieties like the
West Indian Gherkin or
Mexican Sour Gherkin, in many English-speaking countries, it's most commonly understood as a small, pickled cucumber.
Key Characteristics
- Size: Gherkins are small, typically ranging from 3 to 13 cm (1 to 5 inches) in length.
- Appearance: They have a firm, often bumpy, yellowish-green skin.
- Purpose: They are primarily used for pickling.
- Etymology: The term "gherkin" comes from the Dutch word "gurken," meaning "small pickled cucumber".
Gherkins vs. Cucumbers
- While all gherkins are cucumbers, not all cucumbers are gherkins.
- "Gherkin" specifically refers to a small, often immature, cucumber that is well-suited for pickling.
- Cornichons, for example, are an even smaller type of pickled cucumber.
Regional Usage
- In countries like the U.S. and Canada, pickled cucumbers are generally called "pickles".
- In Britain and other places, "gherkin" is often used to describe a pickled cucumber.
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…needless to say… she had a field day with me lol!…
Wife:… “well… what did it say?… am I right?”…
Me:… “yeah yeah!… of course… your going tell everyone aren’t you?’…
Wife:… “of course I am!… you’d the the same to me wouldn’t you?… of course I am!”…
…so now… I tell the story to everyone before my sweet darling wife does lol!… I usually start it with… “you know what a gherkin is right?”… (they usually say yes)… I then say… “did you realise that they’re small cucumbers?”… most say “yes”… but one person said… “really?… I thought that they were different plants!”… I could’ve kissed her!… (but she’d probably scratch my eyes out with a fork lol!)…
…so!… even at 72 years of age… you learn something every day lol!… (as well as knowing that your beloved wife is
always right as usual lol!)… you’re never too old to learn… cheers.