A Short History of: Bread & Butter Pickle
From prohibition America to our Somerset farm...
One of our best selling recipes is our Bread & Butter Pickle! Sweet, tangy, crunchy, a little spicy and totally moreish! This pickle is a classic for a reason.
In our opinion, this pickle is the definition of the all-rounder condiment. 'B&B' can be the perfect addition to so many different foods! On a cheese board, in burgers, smoked fish, sandwiches, and even chopped up and mixed with mayo for a quick tartar sauce.
Above: A delicious smoked salmon, CULTJAR B&B, cream cheese, chive and rye bread sandwich.
We are always happy to hear how much you all love this recipe, as well as your unique and creative combinations! Most people are familiar with how to enjoy this kind of classic pickle, but a question we often get asked: "Why is it called Bread and Butter pickle?"
While similar recipes have been around for centuries, the origin of bread and butter pickles is attributed to Omar and Cora Fanning, cucumber farmers from Illinois, who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920's called "Fanning's Bread and Butter Pickles". It is believed the name came from bartering them in Depression-era America for staples such as bread and butter.
"Wow! Cucumbers you can't stop eating. Crispy, fresh, delicately spiced and as good to look at as they are to eat. They add a zingy lift to bread and butter, biscuits and cheese, salads, hamburgers - everything!"
- Vintage Masterfoods Pickles Ad 1966 Poster
From 1920s America to 2025 Somerset. We grow 4 different varieties of cucumbers here at Worminster Farm. Some of these varieties are naturally smaller, with a rough, spiky skin. Others are of a more common variety; we make sure to pick these cucumbers from the vine early while the fruit is still young and smaller in size.
The cucumbers are bought straight from our polytunnel into the kitchen, where they are washed and sliced. We like to slice the cucumbers into 8mm slices, thick enough to maintain their crunch but thin enough to fit a generous amount in the jar. Along with flavourful sliced onions, dried chilli flakes, whole yellow and black mustard seeds, turmeric and celery seeds. Our secret recipe of vinegar, sugar and salt provides our B&B with its signature savoury tang and addictive sweetness.
We have been told many times, that you guys love this recipe! Whether you are enjoying our B&B with cheese, in burgers, in a smoked salmon sandwich, or even straight from the jar - there are so many ways to eat a Bread and Butter pickle! Made even more delicious by the rich and interesting history behind this little jar of pickled cucumbers.
And here is another inspired pairing of pickles (we think the cornichons can be exchanged for our B&B) with a hearty white been and pickle stew, courtesy of @we_are_food. Check out Anna Jones's fabulous recipe here.
