Good Eatin': The science behind pickles

In LOL's continuing effort to answer your most deep-seated questions, here is a site where you can learn about the science underlying pickling, "the ancient culinary craft of preserving foods in salt brine or vinegar." How does a cucumber becomes a pickle? The site has a gallery of international pickle suspects -- kimchi, chutney, pickled eggs, pickled herring; pickle facts; pickle recipes -- fried dill pickles, ceviche; pickling tips; in short, everything you wanted to know about pickles but were afraid to ask. <http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/pickles/>