Back on July 13th, I laid on my first batch of zucchini pickles. I've complained before about the lack of instant gratification with pickles, since most recipes say give it 4-6 weeks before trying them. Well, I am finally in that window, so with burgers and pasta salad on the menu for dinner, I threw a jar of the pickles in the fridge, just because I like a cold pickle better than a room temperature pickle.
First impression was 'wow...it tastes just like a pickle'! 2nd impression was 'Wow...that's a little strong.'
The initial flavor was just what one would expect from your standard dill cucumber pickle you buy at the store...but at the end, it kicked you a bit. My wife said 'It goes in smooth, but then, when you think you've swallowed it, you get a little extra tart at the back of your mouth.'
I had to agree with her. To make these pickles I used the Ball Kosher Dill 'flex-batch' mix. The jar that I opened was the last jar that I filled that night, so it was only about 2/3rds full of pickles of different shapes/size...some spears, and some slices. I felt the slices were perfect...especially piles on my burger. The spears...I mean, they were good...but it was a strong New York Deli type dill...and on my second spear, I thought I could taste something a little 'different'. Not bad...just enough of a flavor that you could tell it wasn't cucumber.
My only negative with the pickles(I don't consider the strong flavor a negative, just something to be noted), is that the 'crisp' wasn't quite right. It was slightly lacking in that 'snap' that Vlassic has convinced us a pickle is supposed to have. I've seen that Ball makes 'Pickle Crisp Granuales' that you can add to your jar, so maybe I'll try that next time, and see if I can notice the difference.
Do you ever fry them up? I'd not seen that until I moved to the south as a young bride. Sliced battered and pan fried in a little oil then served with some sort of ranchy/sour cream dipping sauce.
ReplyDeleteI was a little hesitate, being raised out west I'd never seen that, but dang they were good.
Vlasic's hard to beat. I need to try making some.
Growing up in New Enlgand/Texas, I have seen fried zucchini...my parents did it occasionally. But, being a kid, I thought zucchini, by definition, was 'ICK'. I also thought the same about atichokes and aspargus, but I seem to have gotten over that too.
ReplyDeleteFor a 'fried' zuchinni application, I shred them and toss them with an egg and some flower, and fry them up like pancakes/fritters. Cook 'em in some bacon grease and throw some sour cream on them...pretty okay...my kids can't get enough.