In The Beginning...

Pursuit of the Perfect Pickle

Alliteration aside, pickles may not rate in importance for many, but some of us share an appreciation for a great pickle. But a great pickle, even a good pickle, isn’t as easy to find as you may think! One caveat here, because many may disagree (but then this is my blog): the dill pickle will be the variety chosen as the benchmark, as it is, in my opinion, the best type of pickle there is. And so, we begin our quest with the much-revered dill pickle variety.

According to Princeton (yes, the renowned university itself), a dill pickle is by definition a “pickle preserved in brine or vinegar flavored with dill seed”. That actually should be dill weed, not seed. And, I would think a comma should be involved there, but back to pickles… This appears to be the definition of the dill pickle by variety because, as most people know, pickles are originally cucumbers, but wrinkled, shrunken and much improved. The preceding definition sans dill therefore applies to all pickles.