Pickling is all the rage these days—I mean, who doesn’t love a tangy, crunchy bite! As more people get in on the action, experimenting with flavor combinations beyond the traditional dill cucumber, fruits are getting their day in the brine!
Here we share two of our favorites, perfect for the fall harvest. Both are delicious on a cheese board as a foil to rich aged cheeses, as a garnish in your favorite fall NA beverage, in a salad, or on their own as a tangy snack. Both can also be modified in a multitude of ways to highlight your favorite flavors (keeping the base of acid and sugar the same to ensure proper preservation).
We hope you try them and enjoy!
Spiced Pickled Pears
Makes 1 pint
2 firm, just-ripe pears, cored and cut into ½-inch slices
1 cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 star anise pod
2 strips lemon peel
Pack the pear slices into a clean glass jar. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and lemon peel to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot liquid over the pears to cover them completely. Let the jar cool, then seal it and refrigerate for at least 2 days before serving.
Vanilla Pickled Cherries
Makes 1 pint
2 cups fresh sweet cherries, stemmed (leave the pits in or pit them)
1 cup apple cider vinegar (5 percent acidity)
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 strip lemon peel
If you leave the pits in, prick each cherry once with a toothpick so the brine soaks in. Pack the cherries into a clean glass jar. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, vanilla bean, and lemon peel to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot liquid over the cherries, tucking the vanilla bean into the jar, until they are completely covered. Let the jar cool, then seal it and refrigerate for at least 2 days before serving.
