Looking to shake things up in the kitchen? Wanting to try new recipes or ingredients? This new blog series is for you!

I’ll be sharing various “culinary quests” – recipes and cooking methods many home cooks haven’t tried before, in the hopes that you'll venture into the kitchen and give them a try. Join me for exciting (and tasty) adventures!

One of the best parts of a Bloody Mary is the pickled veggies used for the garnish. I also love the crunch of pickles on burgers or in homemade potato salad. Or when they’re served alongside cheeses, meats and crackers on a charcuterie board. They add interesting texture and flavor to recipes, and once you starting looking for them, you’ll realize they are in more dishes than you’d first think.

For many many years, I’d grab pickles off the shelf at the grocery store and not think twice about how they were made or if I could ever make my own. But then I met some customers in our store who specifically came in for wine vinegars to pickle veggies from the garden.

“It’s easy!” they said. “Pickling, especially quick pickling, is easier than you think!”

That led me down a Google rabbit hole and then on to some experimenting in my kitchen…

What is pickling?

Pickling has been used for thousands of years to preserve food. There is evidence that ancient Mesopotamians used vinegar for pickled cucumbers as far back as 2030 BCE!

Food is preserved by soaking the food in a solution containing salt, vinegar, sugar, alcohol or a combination of them.

What is the difference between quick pickles and canned pickles?

Quick pickling is essentially a type of marinade. Vinegar, water and spices are boiled and then poured over veggies which are then rested until they can absorb the delicious briny flavors. This process only takes a few hours.

Canned pickles use a much stronger brine and the jars with the food are sealed with a water-bath to give them a long shelf life.

Canned pickles are a bit more advanced than quick pickles, but there are plenty of tutorials online that walk you through the process. This is one of my favorites.

What can you pickle?

Just about anything!

But vegetables and fruits are the most popular. Peppers, onions, okra and tomatoes all make fantastic pickles!

Want to try your hand at some homemade pickled veggies? These quick pickle recipes are unintimidating, easy and delicious!

World’s Easiest Fridge Pickles: Made with our acidic Champagne Wine Vinegar, this is the ultimate beginner recipe! These pickles are perfect for topping burgers or adding to sandwiches.

Spicy Sweet Italian Pickled Peppers: This versatile recipe can be used for sweet Italian peppers or any other excess veggies you’ve harvested from your garden.

Balsamic Pickled Red Onions: Making pickled red onions is so easy and this recipe, flavored with our Oregano Balsamic and Premium Dark Balsamic, makes the perfect topping for pulled pork sandwiches or tacos.

Espresso Balsamic Pickled Vegetables: Infused with zesty orange from our Orange Fused Olive Oil and a kick of roasted coffee bean from our Espresso Balsamic Vinegar, this recipe gives you crunchy veggies that you’ll want to munch straight from the jar.

So, now it’s time to set off on your culinary quest. Grab some veggies and vinegar, get to the kitchen, and pickle away!

Caio!

Andi