In catching up on the past week's pickle news, I came across a post from Adamah, which points to this thoughtful article in The Jewish Daily Forward on the virtues of the humble pickle--and its cultural importance here in NYC. Leah Koening writes:
...But New York’s pickles were direct descendants of those eaten in Eastern Europe, where pickling was a central part of the diet. (Imagine living through a bitter Lithuanian winter without access to fresh produce, and the pickle’s value skyrockets.) Steeped in saltwater loaded with garlic, dill and spices, these pickles served as a tart connecter between the immigrants’ new home and the land they left behind.
