November 14 — National Pickle Day
Celebrate pickles: vegetables preserved in brine or vinegar that add crunch, tang, and umami to snacks, sandwiches, and meals.
Quick background
- Pickling is an ancient preservation method. Styles include lacto‑fermented (sour), vinegar‑brined (quick pickles), kosher dill, bread‑and‑butter (sweet), and global varieties like kimchi, achar, and tsukemono.
How to celebrate
- Make a batch of pickles (fermented or refrigerator quick pickles).
- Taste different styles or host a pickle‑pairing board (cheeses, charcuterie, crackers).
- Try pickling an unusual item: watermelon rind, peaches, carrots, or green beans.
Easy refrigerator dill pickles (ready in ~24 hours)
- Ingredients (makes 2 pint jars):
- 8–10 small pickling cucumbers
- 1 cup white vinegar (5%), 1 cup water
- 1–2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- 3–4 garlic cloves, 2–3 sprigs fresh dill (or 1 tsp dill seeds)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, optional pinch red pepper flakes
- Method:
1. Pack cucumbers, garlic, dill, and spices into sterilized jars.
2. Heat vinegar, water, salt (and sugar) until dissolved; cool slightly.
3. Pour brine over cucumbers, leaving 1/2" headspace. Seal and refrigerate. Taste after 24 hours; best within 2–4 weeks.
Tips
- For crunch: use pickling cucumbers, ice bath cucumbers before packing, add a grape leaf or a pinch of alum/calcium chloride (pickling powder), or keep brine cold.
- For fermentation (sour pickles): use a saltwater brine (no vinegar), submerge vegetables under brine, ferment at 60–75°F for several days to weeks, then refrigerate.
- Store quick pickles refrigerated; follow safe canning procedures for shelf‑stable jars.
Pairings
- Sandwiches, burgers, cheese boards, fried foods, Bloody Marys, and charcuterie.
Enjoy National Pickle Day by crunching into your favorite variety or experimenting with a new pickle.
#CulinaryCollectiveATL #bestinatlanta #PrivateChefAtlanta...
