Westmont Pickles

Lightly dimpled and painted like the ocean floor, pickles are almost reptilian in appearance. And their name. Pickle. Far too cute for an object so anomalous. But presumably, it’s more than just the peculiar physique of shrunken cucumbers that divides people. For my own historical distaste, I assign responsibility to the iconic family restaurant chain, McDonald’s. Cheeseburgers, upon peeling back their greasy paper sheaths, would greet the nose with an acerbic sting, the smell of a burger besmirched. I knew not what pickles were, exactly, but a seven-year-old is unbending in her tastes, cultivated in a tiny young vacuum. No amount of napkin dabbing could fully erase the sour tattoo. Thankfully, children grow. Palates reformulate. For the rebirth of mine, New York City deserves credit. Similarly, Brooklyn, a locale of strong pickle literacy, I’m told, was the impetus for Joel Mevissen and Calvin Lidden to start Westmont Pickles. The ‘biggest crunch down under’ is what Westmont’s anaerobically fermented goods promise. Exquisitely crunchy they are, but not the singular kind engendered by a carrot or cracker. Instead, the whole Dill Pickle, the classic Americana variety, is firm to start and tender when punctured. Noisy, and then slightly chewy. It offers a delicate tang that might marry nicely with salty potato chips or a heady cheddar. It is preserved in a cocktail of purified water, Olsson’s fine pickling salt, peppercorns, fresh dill with seeds, white vinegar and garlic. A prototypical pickle. The Chilli derivative is similarly joyous, but with added zing. Like an important executive who dilutes his stuffy suit with a loud sock, only more tasteful. Tasty, even. And hot. Bread and Butter takes the form of gently serrated, subtly sweet coins, making them a compelling sandwich ingredient. You may choose to wedge these between slices of fresh bread with a sweeping of smooth peanut butter: a combination well-regarded in many corners of the internet. When you’ve exhausted the solids, opportunities remain. The brine will serve as a flavourful chicken marinade or the magic ingredient in a Dirty Martini. Or, you could use it to pickle more tiny cucumbers.