Quick Pickles: Easy Recipes for Big Flavor

I've known Dan, the pickle man, for over 30 years yet didn't know of his quest for the perfect pickle until about 10 years ago when I returned to the area of my childhood and dined at the Back Eddy (formerly Moby Dick's before it moved across the street). It was at the Back Eddy that a waiting-for-dinner appetizer of Dan George pickles was brought to our table. Inquiring of the staff as to which Dan George was the creator of this wonderful delight I soon realized this Dan George was the same Dan George I had known for many years. I have an enormous respect for Dan, the lawyer, the advocate for the poor, the advocate for social justice and the best darn pickle maker out there. Fortunately, I have one of his recipes (courtesy New Bedford Standard Times) and have made an effort to ensure that Dan George pickles go to the same parties that I do. They are a true winner. Thanks, Dan

I think I would enjoy a book from Chris Schlesinger and Doc Willoughby on just about any culinary subject, based on their excellent `How to Cook Meat' and even more so on this tasty little book `Quick Pickles' on what may loosely be described as refrigerator pickles, as no heat-based preservation techniques are involved. I should note that while Schlesinger and Willoughby are certainly the big names on this briny marquee, the third author, Dan George, is probably the most important contributor of content. George is a lawyer by training, but his real passion and skill is in cooking, especially in cooking pickles. In addition to his role as a litigator, he is billed as the `pickle chef' for Schlesinger's restaurant `Back Eddy' in Westport, Massachusetts where pickled this, that, and the other thing are a big feature of the cuisine. What this means is that this book is not the result of Schlesinger and Willoughby's wanting to make a fast buck by attaching their name to a book about a subject on which they have no expertise.As revealed in the introduction, pickling, at least some of the most traditional pickling techniques, belongs to two venerable culinary traditions.The first and more important theme is that of methods used to preserve food before the advent of mechanical refrigeration. In this vein, pickling vegetables joins curing meats with salt and preserving foods by drying as a means of retarding spoilage by bacteria. That most of these techniques are still in use is a testament to the fact that they are also methods for enhancing flavor by removing water and adding salt or vinegar or both to the food.The second theme is that as a method for preparing foods, pickling is in the same class of techniques as the baking of artisinal breads, beer making, vinegar making, and cheesemaking. All these techniques involve fermentation of sugars or starches into alcohol or acetic acid by the action of yeasts or other microorganisms. This means that in spite of the title `Quick Pickles', pickling procedures simply proceed at a much slower pace than a roast, sautee, braise, or even a marinade. Some recipes may take hours, but others, especially those involve fermentation often need days.One big surprise is in the number of different pickling subjects and methods. There is a lot more here than dill pickles and Kimchee. The chapters of recipes are:Fresh vegetable pickles where the stars are cucumber, chiles, corn, onions, zucchini, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes beets, squash, and turnips. The authors do not cover gherkins or cornichons as the vegetables on which these pickles are made are simply not grown in this country. Pity.Fresh Fruit Pickles, the most common of which are from watermelon and rhubarb. It is more surprising to see pickles made of grapes, peaches, citrus fruits, pineapple, and mango. The secret to pickling soft fruits seems to be in the use of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and spirits, preferably bourbon.Fermented Pickles, like breads rai

Pickles? What an extraordinary little book! It would never have occured to me to try this book, except for the fact I've read other books by the authors and couldn't resist. I'm amazed at the ingenuity of these, crisp, tempting little dishes. They make any meal a delight.

This really is a neat book. It has a lot of basic and inventive pickling recipies. I had never pickled before and this proved to be a good way to get started. These are quick pickles, as the title states, so you can make em and eat em within a couple of days or less. The flavors in these recipes can be intense, but after you make a few batches on your own, you'll start to get the hang of how all the ingredients meld to create such unique flavors, and you'll be able to understand how to make adjustments here and there to suite your own tastes. It's great to make a bunch for a cookout and impress your buddies. Another great book by Chris and Doc. Now go forth and pickle till thou hearts content!