A pickle is a fresh vegetable (cucumber) in its raw state, marinated with flavor. While commercial pickles are weakly-flavored, artisanal pickles are delightfully intense. I recently searched for and found my own source for great pickles.
I visit a lot of local festivals and observed long lines at a vendor-booth selling pickles. Despite shabby handmade signs, the booth always has a long line. Unwilling to stand and wait, I searched the interweb to see if I can buy their pickles when a crowd isn't around. I found a rudimentary website which gave me an address for their "store." After driving in circles, I discovered their store is actually a tiny counter they rent in a big supermarket. Located in a really bad neighborhood.
But their pickles are fabulous! They come in a dozen flavors. The pickle itself is juicy and fresh. The flavors are tasty and strong. My favorites are "Hot & Spicy" -- which are truly hot and spicy -- and Cajun which has a delightful flavor from Cajun spices. I buy a large container of each for only $6 which lasts me a week or so. I've been returning to replenish my supply regularly, now that I know where to go. It almost feels like you need to utter a secret password to get access into the hidden Den of Pickles.
The company is a small family business started by the father of the current operators who are a brother and sister in their thirties. They're very pleasant and also throw in a few extra pickles for free. I'm on my way to becoming a regular customer so they like me.
Do you eat pickles? Have you ever tried a good one?
Oh, I love pickles. We get some Sweet n' Spicy Amish Wedding pickles from a farm market north of Pittsburgh and they are the best. I absolutely love them!
ReplyDeleteMy sister makes her own pickles, and I've helped the last few years (granted, last fall I was 9 months pregnant, so "helped" mostly entailed chatting from a bar stool at her counter). They are intense to say the least - I swear a whole bulb of garlic goes in each jar. I must say, though, the best pickle I had was a deep fried pickle at a small restaurant in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They're known for their many flavoured chicken wing options, but I remember them for their pickle.
ReplyDeleteA deep fried pickle in Moose Jaw? If I'm ever back there I'm trying it.
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Suzanne
I love super fresh cuke pickles. I've always wanted to try other pickled veggies, but most of the commercial options are too spicy or limp and yuck. I like crisp pickles.
ReplyDeleteI like to do cucumbers and onions with a vinegar and pickling spice mix and a bit of water. Not the full run of pickle making, but leave the mix in the fridge overnight during the summer and eat it with lunch or Sunday pot roast. That was always in our fridge growing up (during hot weather)
I'm a bit of a pickle-a-holic. I like vinegar. Probably why I like my husband! ha ha! Don't tell him I said that! ; )
ReplyDeleteI also love olives.
I've made my own pickles and vegetable pickles that turned out great but it took too much effort. These sound great.
bisous
Suzanne
I. Love. Pickles. Actually, I love pickled anything. My mom makes pickles and pickled veggies and giardiniera and they are so good. I just bought some pickles and pickled beets from a local guy at our farmer's market here. He gave me and Mimi samples of everything and we were both in heaven. Yum.
ReplyDeleteI love pickles! My mom used to can her own. I recently tried deep friend pickles done in a Cajun batter with chipotle aiole, they are my new fave! Yes the pickle is very underrated.
ReplyDeleteUh, I love me some nice pickles! You can also make them yourself, then youcan exactly determine how intense you want them to be. Try it, it's really not that difficult! :-)
ReplyDelete-Kati
Wow, that's an idea I never had. Thanks!
DeleteI always forget rudimentary is a great woed! Mmmmm, I like pickles too-we call these gherkins. My Dad adores them too and it was something we bought him for Christmas every year as children! Now he gets a bit envious that I like them too!x
ReplyDeletei enjoy pickles as well. but the darker they are the less i like them and i only like them dill!
ReplyDeleteThat's a cool story and you actually got out of your car and went in. I've never tried a good pickle like that but when I was a kid I loved dill pickles so much my friend use to tell me to "marry one."
ReplyDeleteFantastic to support small business!!!! Never had fresh pickles but quite like them with a good slice of cheese. My Mom uses them in her sweet 'n sour chicken.
ReplyDeleteOMG I LOVE PICKLES. Kyle just brought home some spicy ones that are really good sliced up in a grilled cheese sandwich. I do want to try making some this year.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen that cartoon movie with Rodney Dangerfield as a dog? It was so cheesy, but I remember loving it as a kid.
I my house they are revered! My daughter LOVES them.
ReplyDeleteWE all like them here!
I used to grow cucumbers and my mom would pickle them..
that was so cool.. those were the days!
thanks for sharing!
xx, Elle
http://mydailycostume.com
Pickles are glorious. I didn't know they came in flavors. Now I am on a quest.
ReplyDeleteI love pickles and so do my kids. You know in Turkey there are pickle vendors where all they sell is a big huge hunk of cucumber pickle in a cup of pickle juice. Delicious.
ReplyDeleteThey also pickle everything there and my favorite is cabbage and cauliflower...
Yum!!! Pickles are one of my favourite foods ever. I just tucked into some along with a roast turkey breast I made for supper last night (the two foods go so well together, IMO). Thank you for shining the spotlight on an often underappreciated, but truly tasty, food.
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
Pickles are seriously MY FAVORITE! They've been one of my favorite foods since I was little. Have you ever been to "The Pickle Guys" in the city? If not, we need to go some weekend!
ReplyDeleteXxMO
Sounds like a fun trip!
Deletei love a good dill pickle. has to be crisp! i don't hear much about pickles around here, but would definitely be open to trying some different flavors.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of pickles. I was once upon a time but they make my teeth feel kinda gritty so I stopped eating them.
ReplyDeleteI love pickles! What a great discovery--a fresh yummy pickle source. Plus, you are straight supporting a little family biz. This is all around soooo good.
ReplyDeleteMmm, pickles are a favorite of mine, although I haven't ventured into the artisanal versions.
ReplyDeleteSince you like pickles, you might be interested in trying Japanese and Indian versions of pickled veggies. Both cultures pickle a variety of veggies and my husband's state in India is supposedly known for their pickles - tomato pickle (more like a lumpy paste) and eggplant pickle are cupboard staples at our house.
I haven't tried Japanese versions yet, but I love Indian pickled foods. My favorite are usually called "hot pickle" and often are made from citrus fruits, like lemons and limes, bathed in spicy oil. Yumm!
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