The Problem

Another empty jar. This is actually the garlicky remains of a jar of homemade pickles from a Facebook Friend in Chicago named Brad Owen. His pickles are called Brad's Best and on the label it says "made with a sprinkle of pickle magic", which I think means lots of garlic, not that there was ANY left once I really finished this jar.

Hell yeah, these pickles were GOOD to the last chunk and I even got scolded for eating them in a (shitty) diner in Manhattan which angered me greatly but that's another story...anyway, the problem is the freakin' jar is EMPTY and it's just one of possibly thousands I've gone through. So this year I'm not only making my own pickles, I'm growing all the ingredients too.

If you've got pickle growin' advice let's hear it!

Help a Pickle Brother Out!

Hey Pickle Freaks,
We all need more pickles in the world and Crazy Steve is doing his part but he needs our help.

Donate to his worthy cause on KickStarter by clicking HERE!

He makes several varieties of PICKLES and also SALSA,my second favorite food group. Your generosity will be repaid with pickles-as it should be!

Check out his condiments on a mission and be a missionary your ownself!
www.crazystevespickles.com

Back to Brooklyn

Well, I may have missed The Brunch Experiment in NOLA but I had a few of my own in Brooklyn. My first experiment was to finally walk in a door I must have passed hundreds of times in Williamsburg and have brunch at The Roebling Tea Room. Bill Murray's son is the chef there and I must say he makes a damn fine biscuit but it was the three large, beautiful jars of pickles on the counter that made me swoon.


My primary reason for returning to New York was to attend the opening of a show by the German artists Venske & Spänle at my former gallery Margaret Thatcher Projects. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks in Europe with the artists last summer and it was so great seeing their work again and getting to spend time with them at their studio in Brooklyn. We spent most of the day around their table eating, well, brunch, and lots of cheese and of course, pickles.

This jar of Polish pickles was already on the table waiting for me and over the course of the afternoon and evening I (we) pretty much finished it off. We also made a trip to the wondrous grocery store a few blocks away called Western Beef where I spent most of my money on weird beverages like purple corn chicha and one lovely jar of pickled "tomato peppers" from a country I can't remember. I also can't find the picture of the pickles although I'm quite certain I took photos of it because it was SUCH a lovely jar...yeah, it was a really nice jar... anyway...

I spent lots of time buying pickles and eating pickles and going into stores and wondering if I should buy more pickles to take home with me but since I wasn't checking my luggage I decided nothing was going back with me this time unless it was in my stomach so I was really glad that respected pickler Nick Horman of Horman's Best Pickles came out to hang and eat more pickles with me my last night in town!


I've missed you Brooklyn and your brine (and yes, this is a subtle note to BROOKLYN BRINE that I missed seeing you dude)! I'll be back!

I went to Brooklyn when Brooklyn came to NOLA

Last weekend I went back to Brooklyn for the first time since I moved to New Orleans a few months ago. I wasn't quite ready to leave NOLA-the weather here has been so nice it felt weird to pack socks, much less a coat, AND I was also going to miss the New Orleans tour stop of The Food Experiments!

The Food Experiments is a series of food competitions started by these 2 guys-Theo Peck and Nick Suarez


They both live in Brooklyn and are the founders of a food phenomenon there where they host competitive cooking events based around a different theme each time. They got their act together and took it on the road with a little help from Brooklyn Brewery. The first stop was in Austin where the theme was Pork and then they headed for NOLA with a taste for Brunch. I was excited to have them see my city but I was so bummed when I learned it was the ONE WEEKEND I would be away...in Brooklyn of all places. I tried to help as much as I could via email in the days leading up to the New Orleans Brunch Experiment and I was so happy that they arrived in town a few hours before I had to take off for the airport.

We had a couple of beers at what I consider to be one of New Orleans finest water holes, my neighborhood bar The Mayfair. I don't know how but I convinced Theo and Nick to cab it uptown to join me there and once they realized you have to ring a doorbell to get inside the bar, we had a great time. My friends Brad Rhines and Jason McCullar entered the competition with a lovely entry and walked away with the esteemed Judges Prize. Congrats to Nick and Theo for a successful event and congrats to all the winners...Brad I hear you still have some homemade duck sausage in your freezer and I know where you live.

Too bad I missed it...but my consolation prize was a trip to Brooklyn!