Pickles in the summer

Summer is for fresh produce, and all culinary arts programs online can take advantage of the abundance the season brings. It is also the prime time to pickle; a way to save those sweet and savory plucks from the garden or local marketplace, and enjoy them all year round. Traditionally, the pickle is known for its sour, sweet and salty cucumber relations. Partnered with hotdogs, burgers or simply relished in its own flavor, the pickle is a part of the summer food culture.

The modern pickle is no longer sentenced to play water boy to these all American favorites, and students of online culinary courses recognize that it has taken the game to a new level. The Huffington Post listed a few of the surprising candidates for summer pickling; watermelon, strawberries, beets, chard and even grapes.

Pickling has taken off as a specialty method of preparing food. The condiment demonstrated its progress by the variety of pickled concoctions on display at the Summer Fancy Food Show. The event, held from June 29 to July 1 of this year, featured an array of pickle varieties in its appetizer, antipasto and hors d’oeuvres categories. Some contestants included pickled carrots and whiskey brines, but an okra pickle made by Rick’s Pick’s won the category.

The humble pickle
The pickle, now risen from its homely beginnings as a homemade preservative, is now seen in a variety of boutique restaurants. Ralph Gardener Jr. of the Wall Street Journal went on the quest for his perfect pickle and found that the pickling process is evolving.

One chef Gardener Jr. spoke with said, “The vegetable itself should come through,” Mr. Hadjigeorgis explained. “In terms of your brine, there should be a level of complexity. But I also [want] to achieve balance.” The owner of Jacob’s Pickles, Jacob Hadjigeorgis, has a bustling restaurant in New York City. His restaurant’s success is proof that the pickle has taken a slot in modern cuisine.

The way of the pickle
Some online culinary courses may divulge their pickling methods. The website Urban Farm Online lists a variety of ways to pickle. These processes include using an assortment of brines, fermenting or refrigerating pickles. Choosing one’s favorite summer fruit may be more difficult, given the notes that brining and pickling can bring out. Whether the method be traditional or experimental, the culinary world is exploring new ways to preserve the flavors of summer.