The art of the pickle
With the right ingredients, almost anything can be a pickle
Hola people! It’s a busy week over here in my world…lots going on as we head into fall. It might not feel like it in many parts of the country yet, but pumpkins are starting to show up in markets, school is back in session, and you might be starting to think about the holidays…
As the last summer produce leaves the shelves, don’t worry about using it all right this second! There are lots of different and creative ways to use up those tomatoes (as I suggested a couple weeks ago) and cucumbers, whether it’s in a sofrito, making big batches of salsa, or pickling, which is what I want to talk about today. The world of pickles is far bigger than that jar of neon green slices of salty cucumbers you might have in your fridge at home (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with those, they are delicious). Did you know pickles have a history of more than 4,000 years? Ancient Mesopotamians first soaked their cucumbers in a brine to preserve them. Cleopatra said that pickles were her beauty secret. And explorers kept pickles on board during long sea voyages because they wouldn’t spoil. Americans eat over 2 million pounds of pickles a year…people, that’s a lot of pickles!
If you’ve never pickled at home before, I’m here to tell you that it’s really easy! All you need is a few mason jars, some salt and vinegar, and whatever it is that you want to pickle. Of course you can add other things to the jars to add more depth of flavor to your pickles, like peppercorns, herbs, garlic, and other spices, depending on what flavors you love. And pretty much anything can be a pickle! Aside from cucumbers, it’s pretty easy to find pickled carrots, onions, green beans, or cauliflower at the grocery store or specialty market. You know Spanish people love to preserve everything from our seafood to tomatoes to peppers and more! But you can really try whatever you want…just pick a crunchy vegetable, add some vinegar (white vinegar and rice wine vinegar both work really well) and whatever herbs and spices you want, and be a little patient to give them some time to work their magic.
Below are two of my favorite pickles for this time of year—cucumbers and radishes.
Tell me…have you pickled anything at home before? What are some of the most creative pickles you’ve tried?
P.S…we got a lot of requests for that quesabirria recipe, so I’ll have to talk to Chef Laura from China Poblano if she can share her recipe!
Pickled Cucumbers and Radishes