WHAT DOES A PICKLE HAVE TO DO WITH CHRISTMAS?

It doesn’t smell or taste like an actual gherkin, but a pickle ornament can be found on plenty of Christmas trees in the US.

BY SIGNE DEAN   –   National Geographic

Image: Robin Zebrowski, Flickr/CC BY 2.0

The only limit to Christmas tree decor is your imagination—but traditionally it’s an array of bows, baubles, angel figurines and tinsel. Far less common is the Christmas pickle, a glass ornament shaped like an actual pickled gherkin, and often hidden in the tree so that the first of the children to find it on Christmas morning receives a special present.

If you’ve never heard of this tradition, you’re far from alone.

The pickle ornament is largely found in some places in the US, where they claim it’s an old German tradition. Germans, however, had not heard of it until Americans told them about it, so to this day no one’s entirely sure how the Christmas pickle tradition came to pass.

One theory goes that in the late 19th century F. W. Woolworth stores in the US started selling glass ornaments handcrafted in Germany; some of these ornaments were shaped like fruit and vegetables, including the pickle that somehow got surrounded in its own mythical ‘old German’ tradition.

Whatever the origins, pickle ornaments can indeed be found in some family collections in the US today. In the late 90s the village of Berrien Springs in Michigan even put its name on the map with an annual Christmas Pickle Festival, complete with pickle tastings, a pickle toss, and a parade orchestrated by Grand Dillmeister.

Smith & Daughters’ Corn & Jalapeño Pancakes

A savory, spicy breakfast recipe (that happens to be vegan).

Photo By: Bonnie Savage

by MO WYSE AND SHANNON MARTINEZ   –   Broadsheet

We don’t really eat breakfast foods or many sweets – give us a bowl of pho for breakfast any day! But this pancake recipe is the perfect combo of savoury, sweet and spicy. It’s everything we love about cornbread, pancakes and the idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But feel free to eat these at any time.

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

150g plain (all-purpose) flour
75g fine polenta
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp no-egg powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate soda
375ml soy milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp butter, melted (plus a few knobs, to serve)
100g corn kernels, frozen or fresh
½ or 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (add the whole chilli if you like it spicy), plus extra thin slices, for garnish
Olive oil spray
Maple syrup, to serve
Coconut bacon (if you can find it – optional)

Method

Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and stir well to combine.

In a separate bowl or jug, combine the soy milk, lemon juice and melted butter, and give it a quick stir. Set aside for 1 minute to allow the mixture to thicken.

Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the soy milk mixture. Whisk well until the batter is smooth. Fold in the corn and jalapeno.

If you can resist, let the pancake batter sit for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and spray with olive oil. Pour in the batter to whatever size you like and cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Flip and cook for a further 1 minute or until golden on the underside.

Serve with maple syrup and a knob of butter and garnish with extra jalapeno. If you can get your hands on some coconut bacon, scatter it over the pancakes, just like we do at the restaurant!

This is an edited extract from Smith & Daughters: A Cookbook (that happens to be vegan) by Shannon Martinez & Mo Wyse published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $48 and is available in stores nationally.

 

THESE AWESOME PULLED PORK SANDWICHES WILL SERVE A CROWD

BY DENNIS PRESCOTT   –   Food & Wine

Dennis Prescott

Dennis Prescott

Slowly braised in a delicious cocktail of sweet and tangy, this pulled pork is serious comfort food business. Top that with crispy fried pickles, serve it up on buttery brioche, and you’ve got yourself a knockout sandwich. The best part? There’s a very good chance you’ll have leftover pork for nacho-ing, taco-ing, ramen-ing, and a million other happy-inducing options.

Saucy Pulled Pork & Panko-Crusted Dill Pickle Sandwiches

Pork

  • 1 x 6-pound bone-in pork shoulder
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup BBQ Sauce
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for the pork
  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Fried Pickles

  • 2 cups sliced dill pickles
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • Zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Sea salt & fresh black pepper

To serve

  • 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
  • Brioche burger buns
  • Mayonnaise
  • Crisp sandwich-sized lettuce leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking, to help warm it to room temp.

3. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-heat. Rub the pork all over with the oil, then season liberally with sea salt. Sear the pork on all sides until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pork, reserving the juices in the pan, and set aside on a plate.

4. In the Dutch oven (still over medium-heat), add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until translucent, then remove from the heat. Stir in all of the remain sauce ingredients, spices, and salt. Add the pork and any plate juices back to the Dutch oven and then transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat easily shreds with a fork, falls away from the bone, and your house smells like heaven.

5. Remove the pork (discard the bone), and shred with 2 forks. Transfer the pork to a bowl, and then pour over all of those juices from the Dutch oven. Stir and set aside.

6. Preheat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pot (or deep fryer) to 350 degrees F.

7. Prepare 3 bowls; 1 with the flour, 1 with the eggs, and 1 with the panko, lemon zest, remaining spices and a pinch of sea salt. Working 1 or 2 pickle slices at a time, dredge the pickles in the flour, then the eggs, and lastly the panko, making sure that they’re nicely coating. Place the breaded pickles on a plate.

8. Working in batches, fry the pickles for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy all over. Drain on paper towel to remove any excess grease. Season with another pinch of salt and pepper.

9. Serve up the pork and pickles with toasty brioche buns, BBQ sauce, mayo, crisp lettuce, and slaw, if that suits your fancy.

The internet is going crazy over this dill pickle soup

By Tracy Saelinger   –   USA Today

You’re usually in the pickle camp or you’re not. If you’re a true pickle devotee, though, you’re probably on board for pretty much anything pickled: fried pickles, pickle-brined chicken, quick pickles, pickle-juice cocktails. You get the idea.

So when those of us pickle lovers at TODAY Food heard about a dill pickle soup recipe that’s going viral, we decided what we’re having for dinner tonight.

RELATED: Here’s how to make Al Roker’s famous cold-brew coffee

The recipe is the creation of Cathy Pollak, a food and travel writer, winemaker and wine grower based in McMinnville, the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country — not far from Portland, where of course, the city’s love of pickles inspired the “You can pickle that!” sketch on Portlandia.

On her blog, Noble Pig, Pollak posted the original recipe a few years ago­, and it swept the country then. But more recently, she posted a video to Facebook, and it went wild — to the tune of 15 million views and counting.

“It took on a life of its own mostly because people are either in love with the idea (pickle lovers) or they are disgusted with the idea,” Pollack told TODAY Food.

If you, too, have pickle juice running through your veins, you’re probably with the tens of thousands of commenters who have posted things like “I NEED this” or a string of green-emoji hearts. “Seriously people, make it! It’s so much better than it sounds. Don’t forget to get some crusty bread to dip in there!” encourages one poster.

Others are ambivalent — there’s lot of “I’m still not sure how I feel about this” comments — to vehement dissenters: “This makes me want to vomit!” writes a poster, who, full disclosure, once accepted a dare to drink a cup of pickle juice. OK, well, that makes sense.

The recipe itself, which you can find here, is easy: It calls for a dozen ingredients and takes about 30 minutes to make, start to finish.

Note: You will need at least 2 cups of pickle juice (personally, after I’m done with a jar of pickles, I keep the remaining juice in the fridge for situations just like this!). Pollak does mention in the recipe, “All pickle juice is not created equal. Some are saltier than others.” After adding the pickle juice, taste the soup before adding the final seasonings, and adjust accordingly, she suggests.

As pickle lovers, we implore you to give it a try — and report back if you do.

Why You Should Care About National Pickle Day

Everything you need to know about preserved cucumbers but were afraid to ask.

By Victoria Haneveer   –   Houstonia

THE FIRST OFFICIAL NATIONAL PICKLE DAY was celebrated on November 14, 2001, in New York City, and it has been celebrated annually (and nationally) since. Pickled cucumbers are thought to date back to 2030 BC, when the soft-skinned melons were imported from India into the Tigris Valley and salted to allow them to survive the journey. Preserving other foods in vinegar or brine is thought to date back even further though, to the Mesopotamians.

This tasty snack is a good source of Vitamin K and is low in calories. Cleopatra loved pickles and claimed eating them enhanced her looks, while Caesar fed them to his troops, believing they offered spiritual and physical strength. Hundreds of years later, Napoleon had the same idea and offered a cash price of 12,000 francs to anyone who could preserve them safely. In the 1600s, cucumbers were pickled at home and commercialized in Virginia. Today there are many types of pickles in various sizes, ranging from sweet to sour, sliced, whole, diced or minced.

A Few Pickle Facts

Americans eat around nine pounds of pickles per person per year, and the most popular kind is kosher dill, largely due to the large numbers of Eastern European Jews who emigrated to New York City in the late 1800s. During World War II, 40 percent of all American-produced pickles were set aside to go in Armed Forces and soldiers’ ration kits.

Some famous pickle fans include Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth, Aristotle, Roman emperor Tiberius, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Pickles can be enjoyed as a snack, perhaps with cheese and crackers, or they can be added to hamburgers, hot dogs or sandwiches. Deep-fried pickles (sometimes called frickles) are pretty good too—they’re made by battering or breading slices of pickle, then deep-frying them. The word pickle comes from pekel, a Dutch word which means brine.

Pickle juice has also been found to revive exhausted athletes. During a September 2000 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys in Irving, Texas, temperatures reached 109 degrees — allegedly the hottest game in NFL history. Eagles players reportedly drank pickle juice and ended up with a 41-14 win. A later study confirmed that pickle juice helps to relieve cramping 37 percent quicker than plain water.

Craving candy? Bite into a pickle instead to satisfy your sweet craving. I’ve tried this, and, yes, it actually works. Don’t get in a pickle – bite into a kosher dill!

Where to Dine on Pickles

Everyone has tried pickles, but not everyone has had fried pickles. If you want to get your teeth into this snappy snack, head to Natachee’s Supper & Punch in Midtown. This child-friendly café offers a range of burgers, sandwiches, salads and all-American dishes like chicken fried steak, fish and chips and chipotle chicken, along with a range of breakfast and brunch items. If your meal doesn’t come with fried pickles, you can order them on the side for just $1.99 or a bigger serving to share for $5.99. The pickles come with ranch dipping sauce on the side and the creamy texture contrasts really well with the tangy fried pickles. Try it, you won’t regret it!

How to Enjoy Pickle Day

If you want to get into the spirit of National Pickle Day, consider trying other varieties or flavors of pickles from what you normally have. Try a kosher dill or bite into a half-sour. Some people like to dip dill pickles into chocolate sauce. This might sound strange, but the combination of tart and sweet is really surprising (in a good way)! For sweet cravers, there are koolickles, too—dill pickles steeped in Kool-Aid. If that doesn’t appeal to you (and you’re not alone), rustle up some burgers or a pastrami or beef sandwich and add sliced pickles in there, or enjoy a deep-fried pickle recipe if you want something with crunch.

Suculenta Brings Rare Pickles to Oaxaca

By Dakota Kim   –   Paste Magazine

Paulina Garcia grew up in arid northern Mexico, where garlic, pecans, apples and potatoes grow, but most people she knew shopped at H-E-B, Walmart and Sam’s Club. “In the north, we’re pretty Americanized,” Garcia said.

When Garcia moved to the city of Oaxaca with her boyfriend Daniel Lopez, who co-opened top bakery Boulenc on Calle Porfirio Diaz, she had been experimenting with pickling. A few months ago, a small, charming space opened up across the street from Boulenc and was offered to the bakery, but they didn’t want it, so they offered it to Garcia and Lopez. Garcia knew immediately what she wanted to do: a pickle shop that took advantage of the bounty of Oaxaca’s markets, which overflow with such a diversity of fruits and vegetables that Garcia says she learns a new species every week. A few wooden shelves and pickling sessions later, Suculenta was ushered into Oaxaca’s booming culinary scene.

Guests peruse the shelves full of dill pickles, cardamom honey, pear marmalade, mushroom pate, pumpkin relish, ginger mustard, apple vinegar, and oil flavored with Mexican herbs and spices. Friends, neighbors and acquaintances pop in to say hello to Garcia as she works on putting up her latest batch of escabeche. “We know a lot of these people from the bakery, so you could say we have a close relationship with our customers,” Garcia said. “This project reminds some people of a recipe from their grandmother or mother, so everybody is always sharing.”

At the front, I sample a jam that is remarkably flavorful, evoking the sweet, ripe, light taste that hovers somewhere between an apricot and a plum. Garcia says that the jam is made from a small golden yellow fruit that she passes to me, urging me to taste it. Garcia found the Japanese plum known as loquat, or nispero in Mexico, at a Oaxaca market one day. Though native to Asia, it grows widely across Oaxaca, Garcia says, and is just one of the many new foods that has entered her life since she moved to abundant Oaxaca.

Visitors to Oaxaca can sample Garcia’s pickles at her shop, or if it’s closed, purchase them down the street at Boulenc bakery, which uses her jams, mushroom pate, mustard, pickled carrots and jams, and sells jars of her products.

Paste chatted with Garcia about the food climate in Oaxaca and her hopes for her pickling shop.

Paste: So are pickles traditionally a Oaxacan food? There is escabeche, but are other items typically pickled?

Paulina Garcia: There are some pickles made in Oaxaca — some chayotes, potatoes, carrots, plums. They sell them on the street usually, with a piece of bread. They pour strong vinegar directly on them, so they are a bit strong. Also, pigs’ feet are served on escabeche. I haven’t tried that one, but I’ve seen it a lot in Mexico in general.

Paste: How do you make your escabeche?

PG: The traditional recipe is made with white vinegar, water, salt, spices, and vegetable oil. You can use jalapenos, any kind of vegetables, or a mix of both. Our recipe is made with olive oil instead of vegetable oil to make it more healthy and tasteful.

Paste: Since produce grows year-round here, it doesn’t seem like there’s as much of a need to ferment food for the winter, but are Mexicans generally embracing fermented foods to a greater degree, in your opinion?

PG: Anything that it’s “in” in the U.S. eventually makes it way into Mexico, a few years later of course. So I believe that we are a little bit ahead of our time, but it’s definitely becoming a thing. Pickles, healthy food, ferments, sourdough, all the good stuff.

Paste: Do you have an idealistic mission when it comes to your pickles?

PG: Yes, our aim is to replace the supermarkets and the brands that we all usually buy. Our products use only local ingredients, with no artificial flavors or preservatives. Buying something from us supports the producers and farmers directly.

Paste: What are your most popular items?

PG: I would say the marmalades and the peanut butter, probably because they’re sweet and easier to pair, and in second place, the dill cucumber pickles.

Paste: You wouldn’t think this pickle recipe from north of the border would be the most popular.

PG: I’d say it’s because we get a lot of foreign people that love pickles. And in our Mexican market, we know that pickle from burgers and hot dogs, so it’s easy to know how to eat it.

Paste: What are some new items that you are experimenting with?

PG: Right now, I’m experimenting with lacto-fermented carrots and radishes. The flavor is crazy interesting. We just got some organic honey and beeswax, so I’m doing soap, candles and beeswax lip balm. And pickles, always pickles. We just did some pickled quail eggs and pickled garlic and they’re amazing. Also, I’d like to have a whole line of beauty products, personal hygiene, utilitarian items — everything with the same concept: simple, natural, locally made, homemade.

Paste: Any other new fruits or vegetables you’ve discovered lately besides the nispero?

PG: Magic beans! We just got a mix of beans grown and harvested in a small town in the Sierra Sur. When we opened them, they were all different colors and sizes, and they looked like candy.

Paste: Has the Oaxacan community been supportive, culinarily and culturally?

PG: Yes, I love it here. Seems like everybody is doing something interesting and it’s really easy to connect with people of all ages and genders. I have 65 year old friends and I think that’s amazing. Where I come from, you only make friends with people your own age. I think that limits you in a way.

Paste: What markets and restaurants do you like most in Oaxaca, and why?

PG: I visit all markets — 20 de Noviembre and Sanchez Pascuas more because they’re in my same street. But I go to Abastos and, whenever we can, we visit markets in other towns — you always find something new. For restaurants, I like El Destilado, Archivo Maguey, La Biznaga, and tons of street food of course. And obviously, Boulenc everyday.

Paste: Your shop is so charming. Are you planning on expanding?

PG: Right know it’s only a part store and a part kitchen. The place connects with a huge house so we’re definitely looking to expand.

Suculenta is located at Porfirio Diaz #207-G in Oaxaca’s Centro Historico and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The store is closed on Sundays. Call +52 951 351 3648 for daily specials.

Dakota Kim is Paste’s Food Editor. Tweet her @dakotakim1.

 

Detroit police probe the problem of pilfered pickles

– Associated Press – Friday, December 2, 2016

DETROIT (AP) – Thousands of dollars of pickles, bloody mary mix and chips may have been pilfered from a pickle company in Detroit and sold by local stores at cut-rate prices, police said.

An inventory at McClure’s Pickles in Detroit prompted concerns, Detective Mike Pacteles said. The theft totaling more than $13,000 included 58 cases of chips worth $710 and $486 in bloody mary mix, The Detroit News reported (http://detne.ws/2ggcRec ).

“I have done a lot of things in my 18 years as a police officer, but didn’t think I would be setting aside other work to be out looking for a pickle bandit,” he said.

The pickles were in 5- and 1-gallon containers. Five area stores were found selling products at bargain prices, Pacteles said. Store owners or workers could face charges if they got the products illegally, he said, as well as anyone involved in the thefts.

“We assume that this is an inside job involving employees or former employees and will be able to eventually identify the person or persons involved, and they could be facing theft and embezzlement charges,” he said, adding the investigation has produced several suspects.

Asked about the case, McClure’s CEO Bob McClure told the newspaper: “I have my team on this and we are trying to get answers.”

Mike Wiley’s Recipe for Seared Scallops With Apple-Jalapeño Slaw

This recipe from Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland, Maine, includes a foolproof method for cooking scallops. A garnish of crushed tortilla chips complements the shellfish with a satisfying crunch.

By Kitty Greenwald – The Wall Street Journal

RIP TIDE | Tearing the seared scallops and scattering them with crushed tortilla chips make for an appealing combination of textures. PHOTO: LINDA XIAO FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD STYLING BY HEATHER MELDROM, PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

RIP TIDE | Tearing the seared scallops and scattering them with crushed tortilla chips make for an appealing combination of textures. PHOTO: LINDA XIAO FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD STYLING BY HEATHER MELDROM, PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

AS THE DAYS grow colder, scallops are the silver lining: The lower the water temperature, the plumper and sweeter they get. Mike Wiley, co-chef and co-owner of Eventide Oyster Co., Hugo’s and the Honey Paw in Portland, Maine, will be serving them liberally from here on in.

For this recipe, Mr. Wiley tears barely cooked scallops into bite-size pieces and scatters them over a spicy smear of chipotle-hazelnut sauce. Jalapeño-apple slaw, cilantro and crushed tortilla chips balance the plate with freshness and crunch.

Mr. Wiley and his partner and co-chef, Andrew Taylor, developed the one-sided scallop sear used here at the perennially packed Eventide. “If you’re slammed, you can just drop the scallops into a hot pan and not worry about flipping or basting,” he said. The technique guards against overcooking, the downfall of many otherwise promising shellfish preparations.

Various types of scallop will work in this recipe; ask your fishmonger what’s best at the moment. “That’s the beauty of tearing them—it doesn’t matter what size they are,” Mr. Wiley said. “Get the freshest for the best price.”

Seared Scallops With Apple-Jalapeño Slaw
  • 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored, seeded and julienned
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
  • Salt
  • 1½ tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas
  • 4 dried árbol chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 whole chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
  • 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ pounds scallops
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • 8 tortilla corn chips, crushed

Total Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

1. Make apple-jalapeño slaw: In a medium bowl, toss apples and jalapeños with a pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon agave and a squeeze of lime juice. Cover and let chill in refrigerator.

2. Make chipotle-nut sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, nuts and pepitas. Cook, shaking pan often, until garlic lightly browns, 2 minutes. Add árbol and chipotle chilies and sauté until very fragrant but not burned, 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add remaining agave and vinegar. Purée until smooth.

3. Pat scallops dry and lightly salt. Heat remaining oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, lay in scallops, taking care not to overcrowd. Sear until deeply browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Let scallops rest in pan until top feels just warmer than a raw scallop, about 30 seconds (will vary depending on size of scallops). Transfer scallops to a paper-towel lined plate.

4. To serve, smear generous spoonfuls of chipotle-nut sauce across plates. Tear scallops into bite-size pieces and scatter over top. Add slaw to plate and garnish with cilantro. Scatter crushed chips over and around scallops.

Skip the cheese plate: Pickle boards are the new holiday star

It’s 5 p.m. on a chilly night in December. You’re in the office bathroom primping for your friend’s annual holiday party, and you haven’t eaten a thing, hoping to save your appetite for the endless morsels these festive gatherings  aptly provide. After a few glasses of Champagne and a bit of mingling, you make a beeline for the spread. You scan the appetizer table—the various dips, assorted olives and nuts—and finally arrive at the token cheese board: dependable, creamy, lac-tastic. You shove a few cubes of cheddar and Gouda into your face, wash it down with a cracker or two, dust the crumbs off your party outfit and are momentarily satisfied.

Candy Red Beets, Sour Green Tomatoes, Dilly Green Beans, Sweet & Spicy Carrots

Candy Red Beets, Sour Green Tomatoes, Dilly Green Beans, Sweet & Spicy Carrots

But who says this is how things should be? How festive can a water cracker really get? This year, instead of weighing your guests down with the heavy, bland cheese assortments of yore, try a fresher option. Something gloriously crunchy, spicy, sweet and sour: Pickle boards are here to save your holiday, and they’re the only way you should be kicking off any seasonal fete.

We’re not just talking a few big dills and a jar of half-sours here. Think a cornucopia of complex flavors, from sweet red pickled beets to crunchy, spiced carrots to a few smears of mustard and a pile of salty, fatty serrano ham, all laid out in perfect order, waiting to be devoured by eager guests. This plethora of pickles is within reach, which is why we’ve asked an expert to help get us there.

Jacob Hadjigeorgis, pickle connoisseur and owner of Jacob’s Pickles, a pickle-focused comfort food restaurant in Manhattan, preaches the importance of these briny snacks. “I found when opening the restaurant that guests, consumers and the public in general have a tremendous passion for pickles,” he says.

He describes the pickle’s vital place at the holiday table, explaining, “Pickles are big, bright and bold. They wake up and cleanse the palate, and they can even act as a kind of digestif to settle the stomach or round out the meal.”

Here are a few tips from Hadjigeorgis for taking your holiday assortment to the next level.

① Variety Show

When it comes to a bomb pickle board, variety is the spice of life. “I think it’s important to show a range,” Hadjigeorgis says. “I recommend a traditional, clean, balanced, brined salt pickle to start, but then the addition of something sweet, sour, salty and spicy.”

Think spice from chile, warm heat from cinnamon or the complexity of coriander, garlic and dill being present in the brine. This way, “you find something for every palate and [a pickle] to complement various dishes throughout the meal.”

② The Cukes of Hazzard

News flash: Cucumbers aren’t the only thing you should be pickling this holiday season. “The cucumber is the true foundational pickle, but I think there’s a misconception that pickles are only cucumbers,” Hadjigeorgis says. “We pickle a variety of vegetables [at Jacob’s Pickles]. Right now, we offer cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, beets, string beans, jalapeños and okra.”

He continues, “I think you have an opportunity to really play and experiment with flavor profiles when it comes to different vegetables.” For example, because tomatoes and beets are naturally sweet, a brine with a higher level of sugar will complement that natural sweetness in the vegetables.

③ A Perfect Pair

Make no mistake: The pickles should be the star of your board. Still, a really spectacular holiday spread may need a bit more. So what else do you include in your pickled platter?

“The beauty of pickles is that they pair well with a lot of things,” he says. He’s found that fattier meats and creamy, mild cheeses (yes, cheese makes an appearance) work particularly well. “There needs to be a balance,” he says. “You have to be careful in pairing the salt content. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have a cured meat that’s saltier than the pickle itself.”

Same goes for the cheese. Low salt and high fat are your friends. “A triple crème is great with pickles, a sharp cheddar cheese is excellent, and something that would have a little funk to it to offer another layer,” he says. “I’d really enjoy a Point Reyes [Original] Blue, for example, which has a creamier, milder funk profile.”

And to wash it all down? For Hadjigeorgis, you can’t beat craft beer. “Beer and pickles has kind of been our guiding light here,” he says. “For starters, try Allagash White. It has coriander and citrus notes with enough of a backbone to stand against a potent pickle. Maine MO gives you a bitter hop contrast while allowing the salt and vinegar to come through. And for a unique experience, try The Bruery’s Sour in the Rye to pair your pickles with tart cherry notes.”

④ Brine It On

When it comes to finding the perfect pickles for your holiday board, homemade is often the best (and most fun) way to get exactly what you want.

“It’s a fun process,” Hadjigeorgis says. “There’s a trial and error that comes with it, and you can totally come up with your own profile: higher salt, higher acid, a different balance.” All you need is great vinegar (like apple cider, white or rice), water, sugar and salt. “If you have those four components, you can easily come up with a brine. Of course, it won’t have those complex layers, but that’s where the different spices come in.”

Hadjigeorgis says it’s entirely possible to turn around pickles in a few days, but they can also be made weeks in advance. “This means you can prepare [the pickles] way ahead of time and just pull them out when you’re ready to assemble your board.”

If pickling vegetables yourself isn’t your style, Hadjigeorgis suggests checking out your local farmers’ market to find unique, complex and tasty pickle varieties.

That’s one board we won’t be getting, ahem, bored of anytime soon.