In a Bread and Butter Pickle

An old-fashioned bread and butter pickle sandwich.

Pickle Packin’ Mama

My mother made bread and butter pickles every summer—jars and jars. I loved ’em. They were so crisp and tangy and spruced up many a sandwich.

It wasn’t until years after I was married, that I attempted pickle making on my own. A college professor in my church made what he called a 30-day pickle. Even now, it’s the best I’ve ever had.

I know there are 9-10-12-14-16 and 24-day pickles. Some take a mere 24 hours. But 30 days! This was the longest I’d ever heard of.

Pack No Pickle Before Its Time

In my prime as a housewife, I figured if my friend could make this recipe, so could I. So I assembled all the ingredients: alum, pickling spice, and vinegar, as well as a large crock. The process called for periodic draining and additions of fresh water. 

What a pain to go to the basement at a scheduled time for 30 days to tend the cucumbers until they decided to pickle. It was like caring for a new puppy.

I only made my friend’s pickles once. I even lost the recipe, perhaps intentionally, so I’d never be tempted to take on 30-day pickles again.

The vast assortment of condiments at the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market.

Finding the Perfect Pickle

As I viewed the Kirkwood pickle collection, I was overcome with nostalgia. I quickly added a jar of the bread and butter to my cart.

Since then, I’ve added them to sandwiches like I did as a kid. (At the time, I also put them atop my mashed potatoes, a dining faux pau my mother frowned upon.)

The Birth of Bread and Butter Pickles

While looking at the label on my jar of newly purchased pickles, I wondered how they got their name. When I asked Siri, she had several answers. Take your pick of these pickle stories.

1. During the Depression an Illinois farmer traded his wife’s canned pickles for bread and butter at the local store. (My favorite explanation)
2. The name started in England to describe a tea sandwich made with slices of cucumber between buttered bread.
3.  It was an easily made, cheap sandwich leftover from the 20’s.

I Gave It a Try

Some pickle purists put slices betwixt buttered bread. Since I’d never eaten pickles exclusively on a sandwich, I made one. I buttered white bread and added a forkful of my Kirkwood bread and butter pickles. I cut the bread to look like a finger sandwich. It was tasty, but, to tell the truth, I prefer my pickles on a BLT or burger rather than as a stand alone sandwich.

One I Didn’t Try

Peanut butter sandwich with bread and butter pickles. Hmm. . . I don’t know about this one. Elvis left the pickles off his favorite sandwich and went with bananas and peanut butter instead.

Facebook Comments