Pickles are made by placing cucumbers or other foods in a sweet or savory brine solution with various herbs and spices then packed into jars. Pickles can be made from any type of vegetable or fruit although cucumber pickles are most common. Pickles are served as a condiment with sandwiches and other foods, served with Raclette or incorporated into salads, and even fried.
Common varieties include, sweet, sour, and dill. Jarred pickles are sold whole, in slices (chips) or chopped and made into pickle relish.
Pickles are easy to make even if you don't have basic canning skills. You can find numerous recipes for refrigerator or quick pickles. You just prepare a simple brine, submerge the food to be pickled in the brine then transfer to sterilized jars and store in the refrigerator.