Briny tears have been wept around town for many months this year when the Lower East Side Pickle Festival was cancelled, or maybe just not held at all. This was a key cultural highlight on the New York City food calendar, connecting the current fad of preserving and canning to the roots of the immigrant communities that thrived in that area of the city. Pickles are mentioned in 97 Orchard Street as an main source of sustenance, if not nutrition, for many of the poorer residents of the slums, too. Fortunately, the folks at the New Amsterdam Market picked up the reins (or the tongs) and hosted the Peck Slip Pickle Fest yesterday.
Jars of Pickles
I’ve mentioned before that Pickles are one of those things that I’ve had to learn to get to like. I’m still a bit afraid of other fermented products like Kim Chi and Sauerkraut (a bad experience in elementary school is probably a consequence of the latter), even though I know that they have dietary benefits. Still, I made myself try lots of samples at the festival. I didn’t come away with any new favorites, more due to my own tastebuds than the products themselves, but I respected the craftsmanship behind all the efforts. Click on the link below to see the sampler’s-eye view from the day’s tastings!
New Amsterdam Market Peck Slip Pickle Fest (click on the “Show Info” button at the top right to see the details behind the photos)
Buon appetito!