The Old-School Pickles That May Have Gotten Their Start During The Great Depression

Necessity is the mother of invention, and thanks to a couple of pickling pioneers, a favorite sandwich ingredient known as bread and butter pickles was born. Cora and Omar Fanning were simple cucumber farmers in the early 1920s; the couple would take the runt cucumbers and transform them into sweet, tangy, and crunchy pickles using a family recipe. In 1923, the Fannings filed for a trademark, branding their creation as Fanning's Bread and Butter Pickles. The name is believed to be a nod to the hard times leading up to the Great Depression, which began in 1929, when the Fannings may have traded their pickles for bread and butter.

Bloch & Guggenheimer (B&G), a Manhattan-based pickle, relish, and condiment company, eventually bought the bread and butter pickles and renamed them Mrs. Fanning's Bread & Butter Pickles. What sets bread and butter pickles apart from other pickles? Sugar, of course. B&G notes that its version is bathed in a soak of high-fructose corn syrup, accompanied by water, vinegar, salt, and other spices.

The Fannings' bread and butter pickles are the stuff of great lore. They may or may not have given way to sandwiches that were made using white bread with a smear of butter and topped with a bread and butter pickle chip. Either way, it sounds yummy, but these sweet and sour pickles are definitely used on the beloved peanut butter and pickle sandwich. The tangy contrast of the pickle against the sweet, nutty spread is delicious and can satisfy both the frugal and those with means.

Today, bread and butter pickles remain a staple, continuing to be an integral part of the sandwich landscape. They offer a nice crunch, but it's the sweet, salty, and tangy element these cukes add that can brighten and balance fatty and rich foods. Layer them on a hamburger or pulled pork sandwich. Use them on your next Cuban for a sweet twist. Dice them up and add them to a potato, tuna, or egg salad. Following the Great Depression philosophy of waste not, want not, you can even use the leftover pickle juice when you make a Bloody Mary or to add a little extra flavor when brining chicken. This brine's irresistible combination of sweet and sour will elevate just about anything you add it to.