On Wed 23 Feb 2005 05:02:02p, Kenneth wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On 23 Feb 2005 15:01:30 -0800, "Sheldon" >
> wrote:
>
> <<SNIP>>
>
>>Not true. Half sours are just as salty as full sours, just not as
>>fermented, so they are typically more crisp (fermented is just a
>>fancy-neato word for rotted).
>
> But earlier, you wrote:
>
> If ever you ask at a NYC kosher appetizing store for a *full
> sour* pickle you will be handed, and by handed I mean fished
> out of a huge wooden barrel by bare hand, a gargantuan
> bright green crisp oblong sour
>
> and I responded:
>
>>> In my experience full sours are dark green and are certainly not
>>> crisp...
>
> Which, of course, you dismissed.
>
> But, it would appear that now you agree that the more sour,
> the less crisp.
>
> All that remains is for me to ask:
>
> Will you agree that full sours are darker in color?
>
> All the best,
>

Well, I didn't write this, but full-sours usually have a dark olive skin
with a semi-transluscent flesh, are not very crisp, definitely more sour
and also taste saltier. Half-sours are bright green with flesh that looks
almost like a fresh cucumber, are crisp, almost not sour at all, and have a
much milder degree of saltiness. I've eaten both that were commercially
made, I've made both at home, and I can surely tell the difference.

Wayne