Pickle Roots

Shopping for one person in a country where everything is sold “family size” can be quite an inconvenience—by the end of the week, the produce is rotten, the bread is stale, and the milk has gone bad. But one snack that I can always count on is the crisp crunch and sweet taste of a juicy pickle spear. Dating back to 2030 BC, it seems that the success of the pickle is a no-brainer, which is probably why Alan Kaufman decided to make a career out of it.

Owner of The Pickle Guys in New York City, Alan uses an old Eastern European recipe that’s “just like [his] mom used to make” to satisfy pickle-lovers not only in NYC, but across the nation—because although his two locations are based in NYC, his pickles can be ordered online and shipped right to your door. It’s no coincidence that Kaufman’s pickles are stationed in New York City—in fact, in the sixteenth century, New York City was the home to the largest concentration of commercial picklers at the time. However, I think it’s safe to say that Kaufman has come a long way from his ancestors sold their pickles on street carts.

But Alan doesn’t just pickle cucumbers— he pickles tomatoes, olives, garlic, peppers, okra, and even mushrooms. As a sucker for food with shelf life, I was fascinated with Kaufman’s pickling practice, and was drawn to the history of the pickle. Turns out that the practice of pickling was the starting point and inspiration for many culinary milestones—food preservation, the Mason jar, and even International Pickle Day (a day celebrated in NYC). Not only that, but ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks believed that pickles had healing powers. And I just thought pickles were a tasty snack!

Perhaps the best part about The Pickle Guys is that they make their pickles just like the old days. Nowadays, a typical pickle is manufactured in batches of up to 40,000 pounds of pickles and using four main steps: harvesting, preservation, pasteurization, and packaging. But, ask Alan what his process is, and he’ll tell you that he uses the finest ingredients (including horseradish that he peels and grinds himself) in the comfort of his own establishment, and in batches of far less than 40,000 pounds.

With his old school methods and contagious passion, it’s no surprise that Kaufman’s pickles have been featured in New York Magazine, as well as The Village Voice. True to his roots, Alan has kept the pickle tradition alive in a city that used to be was overflowing with picklers. Once lined with pickle stores, Essex Street now relies on just one pickle store to keep the tradition alive—The Pickle Guys. So, next time you reach in your refrigerator to pluck a pickle from its jar, whether you want to accent your turkey and cheese sandwich, or just munch on it for a quick snack, remember that this clever and convenient culinary item didn’t just happen overnight—and perhaps The Pickle Guys is the best place to remind you of the true roots of a pickle.

peace&love