Pickles

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Anyone who knows me very well, knows that I love pickles!  I have pickle things hidden all over my house . . . fridge magnets, key Chains, little bracelet charms, Christmas pickle ornaments, anything pickle related I love it!  Pickles bring joy, happiness, and LIGHT into my life!  I am grateful for pickles!  They are yummy, they are green (my favorite color), they are inexpensive, and they are low in calories – what’s not to LOVE?!!!  One of my swim coaches even gave me the nick-name of “Super Pickle” when I was little.  He must have thought they made me swim faster! 

If you open my fridge, you will see a nice selection of pickles and olives on the top shelf.  Most of our grandkids also love pickles and they know they are welcome to whatever I have in the house to eat.  Through the years I have become a coinsurer of pickles.  Dill pickles are my favorite, but I’m game to try just about any kind of pickle as long as it’s not spicy hot.

I love sandwich shops that give you a big crunchy slice of dill pickle with your sandwich and potato chips! Bob’s Deli in St. George Utah has exceptional pickles of this sort.  I LOVE going with Ronnie because he does not like pickles, so I always get to eat mine and his!

A couple years ago, I discovered some amazing pickles at Costco!  “Grillo’s Pickles” – Fresh Dill Spears come in a little tub that is clear.  You can find them in the refrigerated section near the deli meats.  In the free-standing open-front, refrigerator sections in front of the roasted whole chickens near the back of Costco.  These pickles are so delicious!  You will have an empty container if you set them out for a family gathering, they are that good!

I also love “Grandma Yoder’s Sweet Dill Pickles” from Yoder’s Family Kitchen.  These are made by an Amish family in Tremonton, Utah.  I happened upon these at a fresh fruit stand in nearby Willard, Utah.  These remind me of the ones my Grandma Stauffer used to make.  She would set them out in a little crystal bowl for almost every meal.  She called them “Bread and Butter Pickles”.  I feel bad I never got her recipe, but these Grandma Yoder ones bring back happy memories of eating pickles at Grandma’s house.

Then there is the old standby “Nally’s Baby Dill Wholes”.  They used to be named Baby Banquet Dills, but they have changed the name.  The pickle is still the same however.  These have been a staple in our fridge for as long as I can remember.

The key to a enjoying a good pickle is they have to be cold out of the fridge.  There’s something about the cold that makes them crunchier.  If they are warm, they are soft and not crunchy – it’s a texture thing for me, and all about the tangy vinegary crunch!

So if you’re looking for a yummy addition to add to your summer outdoor food menu, you can’t go wrong with pickles!!!  Add some zing and LIGHT to the party, and your guests will love you for it!  Stay safe out there, make some LIGHT filled memories, and don’t forget the pickles.

Love Ya, Les :)