Salt brined pickles are the best. They also make a great Eastern European pickle soup (reserve some brine for the broth). Never use vinegar pickles for the soup.

So years ago, when I was a kid, I decided I’d make pickles. Mom asked how I was going to make the pickles and I replied that I’d just soak cucumbers in vinegar of course - just like regular pickles are made.

Mom said okay.

I went and got a Tupperware container and cut a couple of cucumbers in to long quarters. Mom asked why I was cutting the cucumbers and I replied that I wanted them to absorb the vinegar more quickly of course.

Mom said okay.

I think put the cucumbers in the Tupperware, poured a bunch of vinegar over them until they were covered, and put it in the fridge.

And I forgot about them for a while.

A few days later I was rummaging around in the fridge trying to get to the milk for my morning cereal before school. And I found the pickles! I pulled them out and showed Mom. I was so proud. My first pickles. Mom asked what I was going to do with them. Well I’m going to eat them now (first thing in the morning before breakfast or going to school), of course.

Mom said okay.

I opened the Tupperware and had a sniff. I love vinegar so it smelled delicious. And Mom watched as I grabbed a big “pickle” spear and jammed most of it in my mouth.

And Mom watched the expression on my face go from anticipating delicious pickle to absolute horror to tight grimace with tears streaming from my eyes after biting in to the vinegar sponge I’d created. I never even got to the second chew before spitting it all in to the sink. Years later Mom told me she had to try hard to keep from bursting in to laughter.

After I was done spitting and washing out my mouth and dumping the “pickles” down the sink, I turned to Mom and told her maybe I wouldn’t try that again.

Mom said okay.

Years later I decided to try again. I think this was back in 2008. I was older. I was more experienced. And this time I was married.

I got a dog treat container from target because it was cheap and really, what else would you use to make pickles… Wife thought I was nuts. In went the cucumbers (whole this time), in went the vinegar (diluted this time to 25% with water). And last I added a bunch of dill because of course. I don’t think I added anything else.

Then the pickles sat on the kitchen floor for some indeterminate time. Eventually, Wife got sick of looking at them, and I’d forgotten them, so she moved them to the floor of the pantry.

Eventually, while rummaging around in the pantry looking for cat food, I found my pickles! And I wanted to try them.

Wife thought I was nuts and more importantly she thought I might die. Whatever. They’re pickles.

So I opened the dog treat container. The cucumbers looked … like pickles. It smelled like pickles. I did t see any mold or weirdness. So I hauled out a cucumber, and cut it in to some rounds. Damn if it didn’t look like a pickle throughout. I dared to taste it.

Wooooeeee! It was strong! But damn if it didn’t taste just slightly … barely … like a pickle! Asked Wife to try a bit. I think she touched a piece to her tongue before spitting and tossing the piece in the sink. Wife thought I was nuts.

Well, I worked on eating some of that “pickle”. And I think I made it through maybe half before giving up. I think I finally realized it didn’t taste a whole like like a pickle. And all the “pickles” went down the sink, and the dog treat container went to the recycling. Wife still thought I was nuts.

It’s been years. And I’m older, and wiser, and I still love pickles. And I’m still married. Maybe it’s time to try again.

Gorgeous! I use bay leaves to keep crispness, but alas, I have failed every time.

HAve you ever had "Wickles"? I have quite a few heaven facing chilis (birds eye? Thai?) and I was thinking of trying my hand at a spicy pickle.