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For the Rugrats character, see Dil Pickles. Pickled cucumbers are highly popular in the United States and are a delicacy in northern and eastern Europe. Pickled cucumbers are flavored differently in different regions of the world. This section does not cite any sources. Brined pickles are prepared using the traditional process of natural fermentation in brine, making them grow sour. Vinegar is not needed in the brine of naturally fermented pickled cucumbers.

The fermentation process depends on the Lactobacillus bacteria that naturally occur on the skin of a growing cucumber. These may be removed during commercial harvesting and packing processes. Typically, small cucumbers are placed in a glass or ceramic vessel or a wooden barrel, together with various spices. Since brined pickles are produced without vinegar, a film of bacteria forms on top of the brine.

This does not indicate that the pickles have spoiled, and the film may be removed. They do not keep as long as cucumbers that are pickled with vinegar and usually must be refrigerated. Some commercial manufacturers add vinegar as a preservative. Bread-and-butter pickles are a marinated variety of pickled cucumber in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and spices. They may be chilled as refrigerator pickles or canned. Their name and broad popularity in the United States are attributed to Omar and Cora Fanning, Illinois cucumber farmers who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s.