NYC Pickle Day is Not Eating Out

On Sunday, the lampposts were decorated with green balloons along Orchard Street in the Lower East Side. Down a few narrow blocks to Guss’ corner deli, a neighborhood landmark pickle maker, and the garlicky brines of some dozen pickle makers’ tents filled the air of the dank, congested streets. It was a beautiful day in the city.

Pickles totally do not count as eating out. Sure, I may have been eating out, as in the middle of the street, but the serving plates were plastic vats filled to the brim with liquid, and the utensils were wooden toothpicks. And it was all free for the sampling at the Sixth Annual New York City Pickle Day Festival on Sunday.

I think this may have been a spittoon of sorts, probably created out of the festival’s six years of experience for, you know, biting into something you’re not prepared for. Or maybe not.

The Korean pickle table fried up some fresh scallion pancakes to dip in their kimchee sauces.

Rick’s Picks’ award-winning Windy City Wasabeans, green beans pickled in soy-wasabi brine.

Newcomers Wheelhouse Pickles offer their tangy varieties on pickled pears, okra, beans, beets, peppers, and turnips.

Guss’ Deli’s sour pickle was just the way I like it.

Also at Guss’, barrels of pickled peppers and half-sours.

It might look like Medusa’s headdress, but these pickled garlic bulb greens were soft, delicate, and zesty. No need for all those pickling ingredients when you’re using something like garlic stems. Brilliant.