As the saying goes, there are few things that are inevitable in this life besides death and taxes. But here is one thing that also seems certain: Mrs Elswood cucumbers will forever adorn British kiddush tables, nestled between the herring and pimento olives.
Pickling and fermenting have long been traditional ways to preserve food, with the methods dating back to China, c. 2030 BC. These particular pickles, little gherkins, originated in the Netherlands in 1879 with the Van Rulten family, who were legendary picklers. They were packed into barrels and fermented before being sent directly to stores, where the barrels would be pried open and shoppers could help themselves. They were a staple for the poor and even known to be sent to the front lines during war, as they lasted forever and provided much-needed nutrients.
In 1947, soon after World War II, these pickles arrived on British shores from a company called Marela Pickles, which had taken over from the Van Rultens. They had a factory on the Isle of Dogs, and initially sold pickles to the Jewish community on London’s East End via horse and cart. Those pickles were an instant hit, reminding the community of “home” and quickly becoming synonymous with British Ashkenazi food culture. Until this point, Jewish pickles were usually made with a simple water and salt solution, which was flavored with garlic or herbs, as this was more affordable than preserving with vinegars, which was reserved for the more affluent.
With the entrepreneurial spirit of the owners, Marela Pickles expanded the business and their products were soon sold at Tesco’s (now the biggest supermarket chain in the U.K.) and the iconic Lyons Corner House (1909–1977), famed for their multi-story London restaurants and food halls from J. Lyons & Co.
Despite their success, it was not until the 1970s, after Marela Pickles dissolved the business, that three visionary former employees — Joe Rubin, Dennis Mendel and Sam Goldman — took matters into their own hands and started a new company. They set about creating the Mrs Elswood brand that we have come to know and love.
Pickled gherkins had become such a symbol of Ashkenazi food that the new owners wanted to incorporate this into their branding, while keeping the original recipe. Joe and Dennis came from Elstree, Hertfordshire, and Sam was from St Johns Wood, London, and so they took the beginning of one location and the end of the other to create the name “Elswood.” They felt that using a woman’s name would help convey the homey Jewish brand, so they added the “Mrs,” then set about finding a model to fit the name. They found the original Mrs Elswood via an agency and soon she was the face of the brand, adorning tables for the next 20 years.
Sadly, the model passed away very young, and her family found it distressing to see her face on the jars, so the image was changed to a drawing of a fictional woman who resembled the original model.
In 2022, coiciding with brand’s 75th birthday, Mrs Elswood went through a controversial change, aimed at modernizing the brand. The iconic Mrs Elswood was transformed into a youthful redhead, sparking outrage across the Jewish community, with some saying that she no longer “looked Jewish.” What do they say? One Jew, five opinions?!
The company was sold to Empire Foods in 2005, which brought the production of Mrs Elswood pickles back to where it all began: the Netherlands. They now have their own farms, and the cucumbers are picked and pickled with their closely-guarded secret recipe straight away to maintain the crunch and nutrients. Although their methods have changed, the recipes remain the same to capture the sweet-and-sour flavor that has become such a staple.
In addition to the ever-popular gherkins, Empire have expanded Mrs Elswood’s repertoire to cater to contemporary tastes, with products such as kimchi and other fermented vegetables. Nonetheless, their pickled cucumbers will always reign, and I have no doubt that they will still be the top seller in the U.K. for the next hundred years.
