{Cucumbers & Gherkins Explained to You}

Guess all over the world there is a lot of misunderstanding about the so-called 'CUKES'.

So why not have 'Cucumbers & Gherkins Explained to You?!

Finding these French CORNICHONS at Trader Joe's made my heart sing!

Cornichons is French and means horn, corni. In English it is Gherkins or Augurkjes from the Dutch diminutive of augurk.

Back in The Netherlands, I have picked tons of tiny Gherkins in my Parents' greenhouse, in summer time.

You had to wear gloves and long sleeves as they have very prickly spines.
We also used to grow them in the fields and Dad had to wash them in a tub. 

Before they end up in the market they have been rubbed down so they lose their thorns.

The cucumber is an annual that originated in India, where its wild ancestor Cucumis hardwickii Royale may still be found in the subtropical valleys of the Himalayas. This ancient cucumber is bitter...

link: A Brief History of Heirloom Cucumber Varieties

Gherkin. The word is of Persian origin, angārah, passing through Greek and Polish, and entering the English language from early modern Dutch, in which the diminutive gurkkijn or agurkkijn denotes a small cucumber. link: Gherkins.askdefinebeta.com

The so-called English cucumber is long, smooth and often seedless.

They mainly are grown inside a greenhouse where bees are excluded.

That is called: Parthenocarpy. In botany and horticulture, parthenocarpy literally meaning virgin fruit) is the natural or artificially production of fruit without fertilization of ovules.

The modern English cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a refinement of the original gherkins and are therefore seen in botany as completely identical. Only the English Cucumber at the modern greenhouse operations has been bred in such a way that there is no male flower present.

Only female flowers provide beautiful glossy fruit without annoying spines or hairs. The cucumber grows out without any form of pollination or fertilization being necessary, this phenomenon is called parthenocarpy. The fruits contain just what thin, empty seeds that do not need to be removed.

Pollination by bees or bumblebees, that just visited a gherkin plantation, is even detrimental. Then there will be cucumbers that form seeds. These fruits are not so slim, even rather spherical, and will be filled with seeds. Gherkins, zucchini, pumpkins, ornamental gourds, squash and patty pan squash all belong to the family of the Cucurbits (Cucurbitaceae).

Cucumis sativus - Cucumber link to read more. 

Hope this did clarify a little bit about their differences...

Related links:
{Persian Cucumbers & Slicer} | previous post by me
{Cute Cumbers 100% Mom Approved} | previous post by me