By classixuk

Re: Cornichons!
03 Jul 2008 23:10

If you've stopped to read this, you must be wondering what on earth they are?
Or perhaps you have discovered that Sainsbury's are the only one of the big 3 that sell them (even though the staff have never heard of them either).
So I'd like to ask some of the more experienced cooks/chefs...what is the difference between a cornichon and a gherkin?
By the way, I sit here typing this to the divine smell of Delia's Lightening Lasagne and Potato, Roquefort, Sage bread cooking in the oven! God I hope it tastes as nice as it smells. :)

Replies

By Suprema

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 07:09

Glad to report that Tesco and Waitrose both have them in stock locally (Surrey). I have no idea what the difference is between cornichons and gherkins, either!

By Gravy Queen, Buckingham Pantry

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 08:36

Hi Classixuk
I'm in your neck of the woods and I got mine from Tesco - I discovered them a while back through other Delia recipes. They really are very very nice! Whereas I couldnt much my way through a big gherkin - these baby versions are so much nicer. To me they are just baby gherkins?
GQ x

By Yummy

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 09:19

Yep GQ's correct baby gherkins, the reason why you probably don't see many in the UK is that the shelves are jammed packed FULL of them over here !!! You can buy them in all type of glasses, wine glsses, glasses with coloured bases, they eat a lot of them and so by now every household must be chockablock with sets of these !!
BTW, Bit of usless info. "being a cornichon or calling sombody one" means an idiot or a nitwit !!! Great way to get one over on someone saying to them in an endearing voice "My petit cornichon"
;0)
Yummy

By Yummy

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 09:22

p.s. They cut them thinly leaving the cornichon whole at the stalk then fan them out as a garnish to lots of dishes, but they are just as nice whole, chopped or sliced.

By vivaciousviv

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 09:29

As Yummy says, they are abundant here, often served with pates and meat platters. They are very easy to grow too. I had four pots on the terrace last year and had enough for four large jars. You just pick them when they are small or you can let them grow larger if you like and make dill pickles with them. Vivi xx

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 17:01

small gherkins are cornichons (about an inch long and as wide as a pencil ish), gherkins are a lot bigger, and also known as "Wally's" in my family.

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Cornichons!
04 Jul 2008 17:02

I have actually got a recipe in my profile for how to pickle gherkins and cornichons.

By Broomstick

Re: Cornichons!
06 Jul 2008 08:29

Have bought them for years at all of the big supermarkets - Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsburys etc.. I always keep a jar in the fridge and nibble them when I'm hungry (to try to keep away from more fattening nibbles!!!)

By Francisca

Re: Cornichons!
10 Jul 2008 11:38

Did you like the Potato, Roquefort, Sage bread? I have to confess that I didn't. This recipe is a bit like another one on this site which also makes a very small, quite compact bread. Maybe I did something wrong or else this is just not my kind of bread!