About a year ago I was first introduced to one of Brooklyn’s finest creations. Now that’s saying a lot. Brooklyn is home to some impressive micro-brews, fashion designers and of course garlic knots… but it’s also pretty famous for one of my personal favorite things in the whole world: Pickles.
Now this isn’t news. I’ve deep fried ’em and used them to make potato chips and vegan corned beef. I’ve even made my own. Last year I went to NY’s First Annual Pickle Palooza and met a few artisan pickle celebrities that made me proud to be from this side of the bridge. Nestled in the corner of the darkest room was The Brooklyn Brine booth with a wide variety of small batch pickles that ranged from the everyday to the every-which-way and the two owners who I still remember as being hilarious. Artisanal pickles can sadly be prone to being too vinegary or over reaching with overdoses of Sriracha* or randomness but so far I have yet to find a Brooklyn Brine product I didn’t love. These days you also have to watch out for crap like bacon being tossed in to appeal to the most unoriginal hipsters. I can still remember when I asked the owners which samples on their table were vegan – they laughed and said “These are pickles.” and when I shrugged and motioned to the neighboring table that had a “pulled pork” pickled thing – the woman nodded and said “Oh. Yeah we’re not douche bags.”
They won me over that day.
Besides the fact their products aren’t made by jerks – I love that Brooklyn Brine pickles are vegan, keep their firm crunch and they’re flavor isn’t muddled with ambitious attempts to reinvent this Brooklyn icon. I love that I can read and understand the ingredients on the label. They have a wide variety of products that range from the common deli pickle to pickled Moroccan green beans and chipotle carrots. I love that in a world like mine – being a food blogger in Brooklyn – that has the privilege of being flooded in vegan artisanal products… getting a jar of Brooklyn Brine pickles still gives me a thrill. They’re a great way to treat yourself without automatically resorting straight to baked goods and sugar.
Right now it looks like Brooklyn Brine products are mostly available in Whole Foods, Fresh Market. Bevmo, Total Wine, and William-Sonoma locations and some speciality shops in 5 countries and the you can order them via their website in cases. If you want to know if you can find these glorious pickles in your area – click here. Also – if you have a friend with a store or restaurant you may want to pass this link on. You can also always take a minute to talk to someone at your local co-op or Whole Foods about stocking them.
You don’t have to live in Brooklyn to enjoy the best from the little borough we call home.
*I know that doesn’t seem possible but go pour yourself a shot and we’ll talk.