“How camest thou in this pickle?” Alonso asked Trinculo in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and centuries this blogger asked herself staring into a sink full of cucumbers. It all started with a request, a trip to the Minneapolis farmer market, and a dream (chuckle, chuckle).

As any good adventurer should, first I gathered information. The Pickling process was originally developed to preserve any number of foods from going bad and maintain a food supply during winter months or times of famine….that is, until its deliciousness was fully appreciated. The pickle has its roots in 2030 BC Mesopotamia when travelers brought cucumber seeds from India to the Tigris valley. Pickled food immediately took on an international flare. In China, construction workers ate fermented cabbage (not unlike German Sauerkraut) as they built the Great Wall around 200 BC, Vitamin C-rich pickles were fed to sailors to prevent scurvy during Columbus’s quest for America in 1492 and now in 2008, I’m just learning how to make the tangy morsels. I feel so behind the times.

Pickling food works by lowering natural pH level, and increasing acidity to kill its bacteria and enzymes. The American Pickle is a product of a brine based or acid based fermentation process, but there are other ways to pickle a pickle including Lye-based, Dry-salt and sugar-based processes.

For my first batch, I wanted results quickly, so I opted for a recipe in which the cucumber are cooked with a bouquet garni filled with two types of dill , pepper corns and loads of garlic. I was skeptical of the cooking….would it produce mushy pickles? Can you really get great taste in a few hours? Check back to find out, better yet, cook a batch along with me!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound pickling (Kirby) cucumbers , each sliced lengthwise into 4 spears
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
6 cloves garlic , smashed
½ cup chopped fresh dill leaves plus 1 additional tablespoon
1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
½ cup ice

1. Toss cucumbers with salt in colander set over bowl. Let stand 1 hour. Discard liquid.
2. Place peppercorns, dill weed, garlic, and 1/2 cup fresh dill in paper coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth and tie tightly with kitchen twine. Bring spice bag and vinegar to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and add cucumbers. Cover and cook until cucumbers turn dull olive-brown, about 5 minutes. Discard spice bag.
3. Transfer cucumbers and liquid to glass bowl, add ice, and stir until melted. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon fresh dill. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 1 hour before serving. (Pickles can be refrigerated in covered container for up to 2 weeks.)

Sources: http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/pickles/index.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3100168
Cooks Illustrated http://www.cooksillustrated.com/

“Excuse me, but what delicious thing did you order?” I asked the innocent women unwittingly seated next to me at Kramer Books and Afterwords Cafe. The plate of beauty had three little mounds of grain: farro, cracked wheat and quinoa, surrounded by slow cooked chicken and slices of deep purple heirloom tomato. I ordered it immediately with the recommended white wine and it was exactly what I needed on a hot and steamy night.

Farro is staging a resurgence in restaurants all over the country. It can be used in almost any recipe calling for barley or spelt (its closest sibling) but the cooking time must be adjusted. Usually, I think of farro as a savory item, but as noted in Cook & Eat, making farrow pudding is an outstanding concept. I like the looks of this epicurious recipe: Farro Salad with Peas, Asparagus and Feta.

Pass the Pico de Gallo and cheers to the Mexican Army!

Most Americans believe May 5th is Mexican Independence Day, but it actually commemorates Mexico’s improbably victory at the Battle of Puebla. In 1861, France invaded Mexico under the Napoleon’s command, and with guns ablaze, demanded outstanding debts of the previous government be paid. Led by Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, 2,000 Mexican soldiers, surprised and bested 6,500 French infantrymen in the south central region of Puebla, Mexico. Each year, the courage and fortitude of the Mexican soldiers puts a little “cha cha” of celebration in our step.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is only a regional celebration for Puebla, it has a much stronger following in the US than in Mexico. Similar to St. Patrick’s Day for the Irish or the Chinese New Year, we use May 5th as a day to celebrate the entirety of Mexican culture. But if you happened to be traveling about 90 minutes south of Mexico City this week, here are some foodstuffs you might encounter.

Mole Poblano is the regional specialty of Puebla. The dish combines a seductive combination of chilies, spices, nuts and chocolate (plus almost 20 more ingredients) with fork tender turkey meat.

Chiles en Nogada is traditionally eaten around Independence day, September 16, when walnuts are in season. Large, green colored chilies, are stuffed with ground meats and dried fruits then on top, a rich walnut sauce studded with jewel like pomegranate seeds.

Black Sapote, is a regional fruit in the persimmon family. Its dark, sweet flesh earned in the nickname “chocolate pudding.”

If you’re thinking something more low key for this Monday’s holiday, try some of theses quick and easy recipes straight from Puebla.
Jicama-Melon Salad
Soft Fried Tortillas with Tomatillo Salsa and Chicken

Whew! All that cooking, forget the Corona, I’ll take a Margarita!