Burr gherkins, also known as West Indian burr gherkins (Cucumis
anguria), are one of the old-time favorites among heirloom
gardeners because of their productivity and multiple uses in the
kitchen — plus their pest-free maintenance. Their flavor is mild
and resembles cucumbers (when young), without the strong “green”
bitterness of some common cucumbers. You can eat them raw or
pickled, or even cooked like zucchini. Burr gherkins do not have
the same long, narrow shape as the better-known French gherkins,
but instead are round and covered in edible dull “spikes,”
strongly resembling green ... well ... burrs. Once pickled, the
flavor and texture are much the same as the French gherkins. In
fact, the unusual shape of the burr gherkin makes it an
interesting addition to almost any pickle mixture, but what most
early American cookbooks failed to mention is that burr gherkins
can be cooked like squash and served in a variety of dishes. The
Path of Pickles from the Portuguese There was a lot of
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