Pickles

A couple weeks ago I picked up a jar of McClure's Spicy Pickles. Up till now I would say I've been a pickle dabbler. Every family reunion, Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving, and any other event I can always remember there being a pickle sampler platter of some sorts. Not to mention every burger served at a restaurant comes with the complimentary pickle spear. These have all left much to be desired for taste or appeal; however, after my first bite of one of McClure's spicy spears, I can say that's all changed. Perhaps it was the spices and peppers floating in the jar with the pickles that made me purchase them, but I can tell you it makes all the difference in the world. The initial taste alone would have sold me that these are quite possibly the best pickles ever, but then the pepper kicks in engulfing your mouth with an infusion of hot dill. Then after the kick subsides the perfect amount of aftertaste lingers, causing you to look at the jar and think just how many of these can I afford to eat in one sitting.
I say afford because at $12 a jar, this could become an expensive snack habit. So Johanna and I have decided to try our hand at making our own pickles.  I've found you mention this to any older family member and they immediately remember great aunt so and so who use to make the best pickles.  This seems to give a certain amount of validity to our experiment.  I think somewhere along the way, we have become too dependent on mass producing everything. But now with the rise of the local/sustainable movement, perhaps making our own pickles isn't a crazy idea after all. We'll keep you posted on the results...