is it the vinegar? I occasionally crave it myself.

Why would anyone crave anything?

But; if you are thinking of pickles as a specific, I would guess it's the salt.

salt... or electrolytes in general.

__________________
Forming opinions as we speak

My wife is an absolute pickle addict. She probably eats one to three every day. Even has a favorite brand, Bubbies. It probably is the salt, she has an ostomy, has to drink lots of fluids, and so she probably needs the salt. But I don't think that is the entire thing, since she liked them even before the ostomy.

I often kid that I married the salt creature from Star Trek, the one with the suckers on its finger tips. If I ever stop the pickle supply, they'll find me dead with all these sucker marks on my body.

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

Assuming that is a twisted spelling of the Eastern European word, I would guess that those are Garlic Dills.

(Warning: local content)
Assuming they are, where can I get them?

Whatever happened to questions here* being about space and astronomy?

Is an assassination virus possible?
Way to end flu
when did the word 'mind' start to be used?

* Edit: "Here" formerly being Q&A Forum. It got moved.

__________________
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 ...

Bubbies. Her favorite are the Kosher Dills, though they make other ones too. They are from San Francisco I believe. In the Cleveland area we have gotten them from Mustard Seed in Solon and Wild Oats in Beachwood. There may be other locations too.

And no, I receive no profit from this, but they are very good pickles.

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

It's because pickles go well with cheese Grommit!

__________________
N6MAA10816
Faber '62 ΔTX
Are you a Bright?

OK. How about, if pickles are so good, why isn't there a constellation named after them? Picklearius.

__________________
As above, so below

Little known fact: the Big Dipper is actually a ladle for pulling pickles out of a pickle barrel.

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

It seems that pickels and cucumbers have no real nutritional value. This is odd. I always assumed they were good for you on account of how they taste bad. Humans are quite good at selecting foods that contain nutrients they require. (Unfortunately many of us have bodies that still think they are in the middle of an ice age and enjoy loading up on fats.) Since cucumber doesn't contain much in the way of nutrients I guess it's the salt that people crave.

Actually something with plenty of fiber like cucumber might be a good thing to settle your stomach and so people might feel like some to help maintain inner peace.

I wouldn't say none. This page for cuke nutritional information: pretty good for vitamin C and A and fiber.

Pickles don't seem so good for you, they are very high in sodium (LINK, link2).

__________________
At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

It's the vinegar that attracts my palate. Just thinking about the sharp taste of ethanoic acid sets my juices flowing.

__________________
- Learn a lot teaching others.

Aaah; but a good garlic dill has no vinegar.
My dad made the best ones I know, and the only ingredients to the brine were Garlic, Salt, Dill and Rye Bread.
Also, there's nothing like a 2 or 3 day half-done pickle.

__________________
Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

What's a cheeseburger without dill slices? Or a hotdog without sweet relish?

Downright un-American,gosh dern it!

__________________
"An armed man is a citizen
An unarmed man is a subject"

Robert A. Heinlein

Acetic Acid Material Safety Data Sheet

__________________
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 ...

But does contain lactic acid - result of traditional fermentation process.
Not as sharp as pickles made with acetic acid. If processed correctly, results in a fine pickle - preferred by many!