eat me drink me

Photo by Brian Everett of EVRT Studio

I know it’s been a while, heck, it’s been over 6 months since I have updated my food blog but I guess that’s how things go sometimes.  Of course I kept meaning to do it, but this article I read in Slate pushed me over the edge–I had to write about the devastating news that pickles might cause cancer.

I know, WTF.  Brian Palmer said this in his piece:

“Doctors have repeatedly attempted to substantiate the connection between pickled vegetables and cancer through clinical studies, with mixed results. But, taken as a whole, there does seem to be an association.”

Does this mean I should now avoid one of my favorite foods? True, pickles tend to be packed with sodium, which doctors have been saying for years that it’s  bad for us, but I have a hard time accepting that an innocent, tart, pickled vegetable could be evil. The most unfortunate part, Palmer suggests homemade pickled goods proved the worst kind, stating that mass produced gherkins don’t actually ferment, hence leaving out the step where microbes eat the vegetables sugar, turning it into alcohol, acids, and some (possible) cancer-causing carcinogens.

Ah! Instead of my life being over I am instead going to share with you my favorite pickles with you, if I’m damned you might as well be too.

Top 5 pickles: Rick’s Picks smokra’, McClure’s spicy pickles, Wheelhouse Pickles, house made pickles at The Vanderbilt and at Buttermilk Channel.

Um, yum? When I was at the Edible Cocktail event a few weeks ago I met Rick Field of Rick’s Picks.  I had to go over and gush at him about his pickles (what’s a girl to do?), and he was flattered enough to send me a T-shirt with my favorite one: Smokra’.  Yes, spicy, pickled, okra with a splash of paprika.

The first time I tried Rick’s Picks was at Spuyten Duyvil in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  They have an awesome pickle platter and the okra was on it.  Instantly I was hooked.  Rarely can I afford to get an $8 jar of the stuff, but when I do, I treasure it all the way to the brine.

I love Rick’s Picks, especially their Smokra‘, a delightfully spicy, paprika spiked pickled okra.  But what, pray tell, do you do with the wonderful brine leftover after you finish these addictive beauties?  The other day I was faced with such a conundrum, I didn’t want to throw it out, but saving it, really?  Well my answer was right on the jar: use as a meat marinate.  Yum.

So, I stopped by Whole Foods and bought a thick cut pork chop ($6.30) from the meat counter and brought it home.  There, I cut the piece of meat into six large chunks and plopped them into the jar.  Nothing could have been easier.  I let the pork sit for a couple days before I cooked it up in a frying pan.  No oil, no spice, just some heat to cook the meat.  After it browned in the juices on medium heat, I drained it and added some quartered Brussels sprouts.  That’s it, an easy, no mess meal.  When the meat was done, the spice of the brine shone through with a peppery tang.  Because it had sat in the marinate for so long, the pork was super moist.  Next time, I might try to put two pork chops in the jar and share, but I guess that means I need a new jar of Smokra’…oh darn.