Vegetable
Gherkin
A tier
Gherkins are harvested tiny—true gherkin sometimes means West Indian Cucumis anguria, but grocery “gherkin” usually means very small C. sativus pickling cucumbers put whole into sweet or sour jars. Texture is snappy skin-to-seed; flavour after pickling dominates over fresh green notes. Cornichons are the French tiny sour style within this size class. Rarely eaten as fresh slicers at full gherkin size; the point is whole-pack pickles for charcuterie and burgers. If fresh baby cucumbers are sold as gherkins, treat like mini Kirbies. Jar brine defines final taste more than cultivar perfume.
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Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
French cornichon culture popularised tiny whole pickled cucumbers.
European processors refined gherkin size grades for export jars.
American sweet gherkin pickles entered mass grocery culture.
Cornichon and gherkin jars remained deli and burger condiment fixtures.