Yummy

I love pickled things.

That said, there are many I have not tried (pickled pigs feet come to mind), but pickle about any vegetable or fruit and I'm intrigued. At this point in time, I have five jars of different kinds of pickles opened in my refrigerator, and another five in the pantry. (This does not, of course, include the pickle relish I keep on hand for when we have hot dogs.) And of course, my favorite pickled things are, indeed, pickles. Classic cucumbers preserved in some combination of vinegar and spices, cooked or not cooked.

As with many things, I spend my life looking for things that do not include high fructose corn syrup or strange preservatives, which can be challenging. I do have some favorites, though.

Trader Joe's offers an organic bread and butter pickle that really reminds me of the ones my grandmother used to make. I was 17 when she passed away at age 101, by the way, so these were the real thing. They also offer traditional cornichons, which have a pleasing crunch and a nice sour taste.

My local market gets a specialty brand, Sechler's, and I have two favorites: candied mixed pickles, and no-garlic hamburger dills. Talk about yummy! These tickle my toes, never mind my taste buds.

So, do you have a food you obsess over in such a way? Inquiring minds want to know....