Lots of food terms are clearly American (think Sloppy Joes, Smores, Hush Puppies) and although they might have been adopted across the Atlantic, there is no question about what the food is.
Equally, many foods are clearly British (think Haggis, Yorkshire Pudding, Victoria Sponge).
And then, of course, there are all those foods that are equally represented on both sides of the ocean, and are clearly recognizable as the same food (think pizza, burgers, macaroni cheese).
So how about 'pickle'?
In the image above is (left) the dish understood to be 'pickle' by people in the US and (right) 'pickle' in the UK.
I'll begin by saying that in both cases, 'pickle' means vegetables that have been soaked and stored in a solution (either vinegar or salt brine) that will preserve them. So, there is a logic behind the use of the same label, but the way the word has evolved leads to completely different usage.
In the United States, 'pickle' has evolved from verb to noun. Americans will say "can I have a pickle with that?" - this is a phrase you'd never ever hear from a Brit, simply doesn't translate. Originally, Americans would talk of a 'pickled cucumber'. In actual fact (as if this blog post wasn't already ridiculous enough) the 'cucumber' that is referenced here is a specific variety of cucumber that Brits don't even call a cucumber. It's known in England as a 'gherkin'.
So, in the end, 'pickle' in America most often refers to a small cucumber-varietal that is preserved in salt or vinegar.
Meanwhile, in the UK, most heads turn to a particular brand of pickle called 'Branston Pickle' although most home chefs make their own version. This blog post was written to explain the use of 'pickle' on a picnic pie in Episode 5 of The Great British Baking Show.
To a resident of the UK, where you will hear "could I have SOME pickle with that?" they are expecting a rich, tangy blend of fruit and vegetables preserved in a sharp, mildly sweet, vinegary solution. If you've never had a British cheese and pickle sandwich ... or never piled Branston pickle onto your grilled cheese then I can't recommend it enough.
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