The History of the New York Pickle

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: The History of the New York Pickle

Date: April 10, 2026
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guests:

• Paul Van Ravestein and Monique Mulder (authors of "The Pickled City: The Story of New York Pickles")
• Alan Kaufman (owner, The Pickle Guys)

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Overview

This lively episode explores the deep history, cultural significance, and enduring popularity of the New York pickle. Host Alison Stewart speaks with authors Paul Van Ravestein and Monique Mulder, whose new book chronicles the origins and evolution of pickles in New York City, and with Alan Kaufman, owner of the iconic Pickle Guys shop. Together, they discuss how pickles became entwined with New York’s food identity, delve into the origins of pickling, and welcome listener stories and questions about their own pickling experiences and memories.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Pickle as Culinary Memory and Cultural Symbol

• Monique Mulder opens by describing the pickle's role as a "vessel of memory, a symbol of survival and a story of shared history." (02:40)
  • She elaborates that food connects us to our cultural, social, and demographic histories, making something as humble as a pickle a portal into collective identity and tradition.
  • Notable quote:

    “Food is a beautiful interface to enter history and find identities so related to New York. It’s the identity of New York, actually.” — Monique Mulder (03:20)

2. Visual Storytelling and Documenting Pickle History

• Paul Van Ravestein discusses the extensive visual research behind their book, blending historical photography and narrative to reconstruct the evolution of pickling in New York. (04:01)
  • The book is as much a photo journey as a written one, with archival material from both Amsterdam and early 20th-century New York.

3. The Craft and Art of Pickling

• Alan Kaufman recounts his own journey from photographer to professional pickler, learning his craft from old-timers and considering pickling a form of art. (04:46)
  • He describes the spectrum of pickles—new (fresh, mildly flavored, crisp) versus sour (aged, deeply flavored, still snappy).

4. Why Cucumbers?

• Alan Kaufman explains that cucumbers became the standard “pickle” because they were the most commonly pickled vegetable—much like "Kleenex" for tissues. (06:00)
• Paul Van Ravestein and Monique Mulder discuss the etymology of “pickle” from the Dutch “pekel,” meaning “salty.” (06:24)

5. Global Pickling Traditions & Techniques

• The discussion ranges from ancient Mesopotamian pickling (as early as 2400 BC) to Cleopatra and Caesar’s reputed fondness for pickles. (07:32, 07:56)
• Pickling as a form of food technology is identified as crucial for survival, migration, and adaptation through history. (08:13)
  • Notable quote:

    “It shows us also the resilience of people. Food is a beautiful topic. I mean, people are migrating… So you have to preserve your food in several ways.” — Monique Mulder (08:26)

6. Listener Q&A: Flavors, Memories, and Advice

• Callers share their favorite styles and recount childhood memories of communal pickling or treasured family recipes. Highlights include:
  • The tactile and sensory nostalgia of reaching into a pickle barrel (21:05)
  • The resurgence of DIY pickling and experimentation (16:31, 17:15)
  • The use of pickling to maintain food sovereignty, tradition, and community bonds

Notable Answers:

• Alan Kaufman describes classic New York pickling:
  • “Salt water, pickling spices, garlic, and cucumbers—the amount of time aged determines the flavor.” (10:11)
  • Recommendations for experimental pickling: bourbon, whiskey, hot peppers, horseradish.
• On spicy pickling: “Basically, it’s just vinegar, water, and salt… Try never to use a hot brine, try to use a cold brine and let it cure in a cold climate. You get a more snappier product.” (12:13)

7. Comparing Pickle Traditions Globally

• Monique Mulder describes the diversity of world pickling methods:
  • Soy-based salty pickling in Asia
  • Dill and salt fermentation in Eastern Europe
  • Exotic spices in the Middle East (12:51)
• Paul Van Ravestein explains how climate and culture influenced fermentation and vinegar use from North to South Europe and beyond. (13:42)

8. Pickling and Survival Technology

• Monique Mulder highlights pickling as a survival technology for nomadic peoples and migrants facing winter and climatic hardship. (14:33)
  • This practice is gradually blending and evolving with modern culinary creativity.

9. The Peak of the Pickle Industry in NYC

• In the 1910s–1930s, the Lower East Side was home to as many as 100 pickle businesses.
• The bustling market culture, transition from pushcarts to inside stores, and eventual decline due to health regulations and urban change are described. (19:19, 19:24)
  • Notable quote:

    “There are so many pushcarts, until they were abandoned and had to go inside the Essex Market, for instance, because of this mayor who didn’t like it... It was a bloody mess. But it was a nice, chaotic, dynamic area.” — Paul Van Ravestein (19:24)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |--------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:23 | Alan Kaufman | "We say smells great, tastes better." | | 02:40 | Monique Mulder | "The pickle is a vessel of memory, a symbol of survival and a story of shared history." | | 05:10 | Alan Kaufman | "What I do is I do whatever I do, and I do it well." | | 10:11 | Alan Kaufman | "Salt water, pickling spices, garlic, and cucumbers—the amount of time aged determines the flavor."| | 12:13 | Alan Kaufman | "Try never to use a hot brine, try to use a cold brine and let it cure in a cold climate. You get a more snappier product."| | 14:33 | Monique Mulder | "It's a sort of survival method... People were much more nomadish... The blend starts. And that was the beauty of our research."| | 19:24 | Paul Van Ravestein | "There are so many pushcarts, until they were abandoned and had to go inside the Essex Market... It was a bloody mess. But it was a nice, chaotic, dynamic area."| | 20:12 | Alan Kaufman | "I kind of just fell into a barrel." (On how he started pickling) | | 23:35 | Alan Kaufman | "Go to the refrigeration section. Don't buy in the middle of the aisles. Don't buy the ones that are sitting there for 12 months." |

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:23] - Alan Kaufman on the sensory joy of pickles
• [02:40] - Monique Mulder on food and memory
• [04:01] - Paul Van Ravestein on the photographic history
• [06:00] - Why cucumber became the iconic pickle
• [10:11] - Alan’s classic pickling method
• [12:51] - Comparing pickling traditions in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East
• [14:33] - Pickling as a response to migration and hardship
• [19:24] - The peak and decline of the NYC pickle industry
• [23:35] - Alan’s advice for buying store-bought pickles

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Tone & Takeaways

The mood is warm, nostalgic, and spirited, with guests swapping both historical facts and personal stories. The episode weaves together research, lived experience, and excited listener participation, reinforcing the pickle’s unique place in New York’s food culture and memory. The message is clear: pickling is more than preservation—it's an ongoing tradition, a symbol of survival and ingenuity, and a culinary bridge between communities, generations, and continents.

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For Those Inspired:

• Experiment with simple old-world brines for a New York-style pickle.
• Remember: the best pickles are made (and shared) fresh, not off a supermarket shelf.
• Embrace the pickle as both a comfort food and an entry point into rich cultural history.

Transcript

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[Monique Mulder]

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Pickles are an important part of the culinary history of New York and really of the world. Almost all civilizations have used this preservative technology to make their harvest stretch through the winter. They help feed Caesar's armies through long military campaigns. Aristotle celebrated their medicinal effects. Despite the global reach of this equally parts tasty and practical technique, pickles have taken on a special place as a symbol of Jewish food. In particular thanks to Eastern European pickling traditions. And that's in part to the impact of Ashkenazi diaspora communities, most notably right here in New York City. A new book takes a look at the history of pickles and it intersects with the history of the city. It's called the Pickled the Story of New York. Pickles and its authors are are here with me in studio to talk about it. They are culinary history writers Paul Van Ravestein. Did I get that right?

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Yes. Perfect.

[Alison Stewart]

And Monique Mulder. Hi, Monique. And also joining us is Alan Kaufman, owner of the Pickle Guys, one of the last remaining pickle stores on Essex Street. What used to be known as Pickle Allen, Allie, thank you so much for joining us. And thank you for the pickles. I wish this were smell radio if they had smell.

[Alan Kaufman]

Well, you know, we say smells great. Tastes better.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, so good. So good. I'm just going to try to ignore those pickles for a little bit and then we'll get into it in a minute. Monique, you write at the end of Your introduction. The pickle is a vessel of memory, a symbol of survival and a story of shared history. How so?

[Monique Mulder]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Actually, it's a culinary memory, what we have. And that is the beauty out of such a sort of humble product like a pickle. If you go deeper into history, and that is what we do, we are identity builders. So we are always going into the history where things are coming from. Then you see, it will say so much more about the, let's say, soiled layers of a city. The social, demographical, cultural traditions. So it's not only a product, it become a culture, a tradition. So we all have a culinary memory. I mean, when I ask you how an apple pie will taste, I mean, you are swapped back into maybe your grandmother or mother and you have all these kind of memories. So with food, it's a beautiful interface to enter history and find identities so related to New York. It's the identity of New York. Actually. It has all to do with the history of New York and how it

[Alison Stewart]

came here, what kind of things came to light. Paul, about the exploration that made you think pickles are a good way to describe the history of Newark?

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Well, we did a lot of visual research because we are designers at the end of the day, and so visual is essential. So we want to show the story, not so much only tell the story. So we kind of recreated the Lower east side or New York because of all those 1930s or even earlier pictures. So we walked circle, so to say, from Amsterdam through the city in 1930 in New York. So for us, that was really an exploration and a new kind of way of seeing things.

[Alison Stewart]

It's beautiful. It's actually a beautiful photo book as well as the story of pickles. Alan, how'd you get into pickles?

[Alan Kaufman]

Well, I used to work for pickle people when I was younger. I started out as an advertising photographer, and then when film went to digital, I went into the pickle business full time. I learned from all the old timers like Nathan Hollander and Solly Kaplan and the Gus family. And if I didn't go into it, it'd be a lost art. And I consider what I do like art.

[Caller David]

Yeah.

[Alan Kaufman]

What I do is I do whatever I do, and I do it well.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell me what you brought me today.

[Alan Kaufman]

Today I brought you two ends of the spectrum. We have a new pickle which is just a couple of days old, which are going to be very fresh, clean, tasting. And then on the other end of the scale, we have a sour pickle that's been aged for three months before we even sell it. And that is the most popular. We sell that. We call it the Cadillac of pickles.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, which one should I try first?

[Alan Kaufman]

Try the new one first.

[WNYC Host]

The new one first. Okay, hold on.

[Alan Kaufman]

Watch out. It's snappy.

[Caller Monique]

It's very good.

[Alan Kaufman]

It's the best.

[WNYC Host]

While I'm chewing away from the microphone,

[Alison Stewart]

I'll ask you, how did cucumber pickles, like this one in particular, come to mean pickles? When people talk about pickles, they think of this. Why is it that? Why is it a cucumber? The original pickle?

[Monique Mulder]

Why is it a cucumber?

[Alan Kaufman]

Yeah, I can answer that, please. Well, it has to do with actually pickling. When they first pickled, the most popular item to pickle were cucumbers. So, like, it became pickles. Just like facial tissue is Kleenex. When you say, hand me a Kleenex. Because it's most popular. So that's why pickles are mostly thought of as cucumbers. And everything else is pickled. Pickled.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

But also the word pickle comes from pekel, which is a Dutch word, and saying salty. So salting vegetables.

[Caller Monique]

Yeah.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

So it's also some Dutch heritage.

[Monique Mulder]

It's a Dutch heritage, but also because the cucumber can add some flavors. So it by itself, it's a very mellow taste, the cucumber. So then when you add flavors on it, it will blend. Beautiful.

[WNYC Host]

Listeners, we want to hear your pickle takes. Do you like them full, sour, half sour, crunchy or soft with a spicy kick or more earthy? We especially want to hear from you if you're out there making your own pickles or pickled something. We want to know what flavors and textures you're aiming for.

[Alison Stewart]

Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433.

[WNYC Host]

WNYC. My guests are Paul Van Ravestein and Monique Mulder, the authors of the book the Pickled City the Story of New York Pickles, as well as Alan Kaufman, owner of the Pickle Guys. You start the books in antiquity, Mesopotamia to 2400 B.C. what are the primary sources for that?

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Oh, now we have, like 200 archives and sources we used to go through. It took us four years to make this book, but it started with another book on the Amsterdam pickle history, and that took us five years also. So it's incredible how many sources and archives we opened up.

[Alison Stewart]

The book includes stories about Cleopatra claiming pickles contributed to her beauty, as well as Julius Caesar claiming pickles gave his troop extra fortitude when did people realize that consuming pickles was more than just sustenance?

[Monique Mulder]

What I think actually it's something what we see already for so many years. And it's a way of preserving. It's a food technology where we are talking about. And of course we can combine it with stories like Caesar and Cleopatra and the Egyptians up till now. But it shows us also the resilience of people. Food is a beautiful topic. I mean, people are migrating, people are moving, they are nomads. And either you have a very cold winter or a flooding. So you have to preserve your food in several ways. Salt is a beautiful thing. Drying is a beautiful thing. Putting it in asic is also or vinegar. It's also a thing to preserve it for a later time. So it says for us everything about how the relation between the people, the food, the land and the circumstances.

[WNYC Host]

Let's take a call. This is Stacey calling in from Bloomfield, New Jersey. Thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller Monique]

Stacy, thank you for listening.

[Caller Stacey]

Listen, I just had to tell you something. That pickle you just tried at the microphone, you need to try all of them at the microphone. I had to pull over because my mouth just started watering at the very thought of what you were biting on. And it sounded so delicious. I am a pickle. I'm not an aficionado, but I am an aspiring aficionado. I only know about one brand of pickles and I'm trying out different ones this summer. And I'm not a pickler, but it's something I'm thinking about now. Listening to this program, I wanted the guests to try to suggest some pickles, some flavors that we might want to try besides the dill and some of the classic ones. And I know he just suggested two new ones. Your guest just suggested two new ones, but can he suggest any other flavors? Like what if I wanted to pickle, what would I put in the. The brine or, you know, what would I put in that?

[Alan Kaufman]

Okay. Actually, when we make pickles at the Pickle guys, we do it the old fashioned way. The recipes are from 1910 from Eastern European countries. We have never changed the recipes for the actual pickles themselves. They're the same ones. And basically all it is is salt water, pickling, spices, garlic and cucumbers. And the amount of time that they're aged for is going to determine what kind of flavor the pickles are going to be. One to ten days is going to be a new pickle. It's going to be real crunchy like you just heard. And the most popular One is going to be a sour pickle, which you age for three months, has the most flavor and it's still going to be snappy. And then you have one in the middle that's a half sour pickle. And then again, if you want to go binoculars, you could add bourbon with it and make bourbon pickles, whiskey pickles, add hot peppers to make a spicy pickles. Horseradish. Horseradish flavored pickles. The actual cucumber takes on the flavor of what you put in there.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, so the other one you

[Alan Kaufman]

brought is this one, the three month old, the Cadillac.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, here we go. Before I get to a next call,

[WNYC Host]

I understand why it's a Cadillac. I get it. Oh, this one's good. The other one was sort of like refreshing, but this is delicious.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to David on Staten Island. Hi, David, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller David]

Thank you. So I want to say I've been to the pickle Guy many times down on Grand Street. So thank you for all the work. It's a great experience. I've also been in the Essex Market, I think. Right, that's where you are.

[Alan Kaufman]

We were there. Yes.

[Caller David]

Yeah. So my favorite is the sour, sour pickle. So now, just like the previous caller, my mouth is watering because I want one of those. Because my favorite is the sour pickle, which I would get at Second Avenue Deli. I'm not sure who does their pickles, but they're a combo with the health salad is fantastic. But the question I had, actually, I've done pickling with banana peppers. So I wanted to know if you had any history to that and any tips on sort of spicy things that you can add as condiments.

[Alan Kaufman]

Okay, well, we also do hot peppers there. We do pepperoncinis and jalapenos, habaneros. Basically, it's just vinegar, water and salt. And that's pretty much it. I mean, I'm sure you can go online and get different recipes. And like I said, you just mix everything together. Try never to use a hot brine. Try to use a cold brine and let it cure in a cold climate. You find out, you get a more snappier product.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. Monique, what flavors and techniques distinguish pickling in Asian countries and Asian traditions versus the Eastern European traditions versus the Middle Eastern and Northern African traditions And pickling.

[Monique Mulder]

Yeah, so what I said is when you look all over the world, you see in Asia, for instance, with the soya, it's a technique, what happens. And it is more in the salty way, how they go Then you go to the Middle east and the eastern part of Europe, they have, let's say in the eastern part of Europe they have much more dill. That's the northern part. In the Middle east they have some warmer spices. What they put into it and what they have have here in, in, in the States, we have, as you can say, the. All the ingredients with what you are using. So when I took a ride over the world, I would say from salt, going more, the exotic spices in the middle and then the dill and then going up to. To Europe.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

But if you're talking about pickles, then in, in Europe, way back in 1300, Jews weren't into making wine because that wasn't really kosher or they didn't just make it. But this vinegar is related to this climate zone in the south. And in the northern part of Europe, the salty fermentation was normal. And with the harsh winters, so you can follow the tastes to the U.S. in this case, how that developed.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm interested in sort of the culinary technology of pickling. I mean, what kind of things could earlier humans accomplish with pickling that wouldn't

[WNYC Host]

have been possible without it, the pastrami

[Alan Kaufman]

sandwich,

[Alison Stewart]

Would it have been harder to

[WNYC Host]

live there hadn't been pickling?

[Monique Mulder]

Yeah, what I think, what I said, it's a sort of survival method, I think so technology. I mean, in those days, people become much more, or they were much more nomadish, how you say it, they moved and they moved with the climate and they moved with what's growing there. So when you are moving, you take not only your culinary memory with you, but also your stuff and you dry it and you salt it. And then when you arrive on a new place and rooted there, the. The blend starts. And that was the beauty of our research that we saw. It starts in the east and they took things to the Middle east and they prepared a completely new blend. And that is what we see nowadays also because there's a sort of revival in Europe of the pickle. So all the, let's say the young ones, the young pig lives, they use very wild varieties. So they are much more free and creative. And in the early days, it was really something to prepare, you know, to overcome the winters.

[WNYC Host]

We're talking about the history of pickles in New York City and the world with Alan Kaufman, owner of the Pickle Guys, along with Paul Van Rainstein and Monique Mulder, authors of the Pickle the Story of New York Pickles. We want to hear your pickle takes. Do you like them full half Sour, crunchy, or soft with a little bit of a spicy kick. And we especially want to hear from you if you're out there making your own pickles. Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. We got a lot of calls. Let's talk to Adam calling in from Washington Heights. Hi, Adam. Thanks for making the time to call all of it.

[Caller Adam]

Hey, what a pleasure to hear the show and to hear you guys so excited about pickling.

[WNYC Host]

Tell us about you and pickling.

[Caller Adam]

Oh, my God. You know, literally about a decade ago, I was listening to a forerunner of this show on WNYC that was going on about the pickle revival that was just kicking into high gear at that time. And I found a recipe in the New York Times, and I tried it. Lacto fermentation pickling. You know, I grew up going to places like the Pickleman or Tabochnik satin jersey, and this is the first time I ever tried it, and I went bonkers. You can make, like, the best, amazing pickles you've ever tasted right on your own countertop.

[Caller David]

It's astounding.

[WNYC Host]

Adam, thanks for calling in. Let's talk to Monique, who's calling from Tarrytown. Hey, Monique, thank you for calling all of it.

[Caller Monique]

Hi, thanks for taking me. Oh, my goodness. Culinary memory. It's like, you know, the madeleine pickles just remind me of my childhood. My father was Polish, and we used to have this big stoneware crock always all through summer, and there'd be this constant rotation of pickles. And so it's a great memory. Thank you for. For bringing it up. And I just wanted to share here in Tarrytown, the little gardens of Tarrytown, which is a garden club we did in the wintertime. What do you do with plants? We did a pickling meeting, and all the members came, and we had jars, and everyone could put in as much garlic or little, you know, those pepper bombs, and everyone had the Kirby peppers. And we just. And it is very, very straightforward. And talk about immediate, gradual, you know, gratification. Just three days, and you have some amazing, amazing taste. So thank you. And what a nice, nice topic. Thank you.

[WNYC Host]

Thanks so much. What is. What do you think when you do these calls?

[Monique Mulder]

Ah, that's fantastic, because that is, as what I said, culinary memory is a beautiful thing when you really are thinking about, brings you back to your family history, but it also to your culture and what we see. Food is really a sort of interface to start talking about identities, culture, and that people are coming nearer to each other instead of, you know, dividing them. But so we use always food as an interface not only to enter history, but also to commute to bring people together. And then people start talking about their. Not only the flavor and the beautiful taste and how what they are making, but also as what the lady just said on the. On radio.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

But it's also interesting that it's locally produced. Like Long island was the pickle production island for New York City until 1922. There was a bacteria and all the crops went corrupt, or if you say that correctly. So this locally produced pickles is also an interesting item in terms of community thinking.

[Monique Mulder]

Absolutely. The soil, where it's coming from.

[Alison Stewart]

What did the pickle industry look like at its peak in New York City?

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Huge. In Lower east side in 1915, there were 10 pickle companies. But in New York in 1915, there were 100. Literally, we found the directory of that. But yeah, the heydays were in the 30s. There are so many push carts, of course, until they were abandoned and they had to go inside the Essex Market, for instance, because of this mayor who doesn't like it. It was unhealthy. Rats were all over the place. It was a bloody mess. But it was a nice, chaotic, dynamic area, I guess in the 30s or 20s.

[Monique Mulder]

That's what we see also on the pictures.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Yeah, literally.

[WNYC Host]

So, Alan, you weren't around three twenties or thirties. How did you get started in pickles?

[Alan Kaufman]

I kind of just fell into a barrel. Like I said. I was a commercial photographer. I had a lot of time off. I used to hang out with my friends and they worked for the pickle guy with pickle people, and I hung out with them and I learned from the biggest guys around and I enjoy it. And every time I sell a pickle and somebody bites into that pickle like you just did before, he said, wow, that's a great pickle. That's a bit. You can't get a better feeling than that. People beg me never to retire, to stay here for the rest of my life and just make pickles for them.

[WNYC Host]

That's another discussion. Let's talk to Holly from Stanford. Hey, Holly, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller Monique]

Hey, thanks for taking my call.

[Caller Stacey]

You were talking about food memories.

[Caller Monique]

And my earliest memory is of my grandfather, worked at Hollander Pickles all his life. And he made the wooden barrels. He was a cooper. And I remember being lifted up high enough to reach into the barrel and grab a pickle.

[Alan Kaufman]

Was he Nady Hollander?

[Caller Monique]

No. Nathan.

[Caller Antonia]

Yes.

[Caller Monique]

I remember Nathan.

[Alan Kaufman]

Yeah, I know Nathan, too. I learned from. I know. I learned from Nathan. I don't know if that's your grit.

[Caller Monique]

No, it was Isadore Greenfield.

[Alan Kaufman]

Okay, Greenfields. Yeah. Greenfield Pickles. Yes.

[WNYC Host]

Yeah.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Famous.

[Caller Monique]

Yeah.

[Alan Kaufman]

Because. Because Nathan Hollander was El Hollander and son. And Nathan Hollander, who was old, was the son. So I never knew the other Hollander.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Yeah. Greenfield is also in our book. Indeed.

[Caller Antonia]

Yeah.

[Caller David]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Excellent.

[WNYC Host]

Let's talk to Matt from Bergen County. Hi, Matt. Thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller Adam]

Hey, thanks so much for taking my call. What a great, great show. So I had to call in. Very close friends of my family are long time picklers, three generations. They have a factory up in Patterson. And this year they're actually opening on the boardwalk in Seaside, a grill. Grill. My dill, if I can give it a shameless plug.

[Monique Mulder]

Good name.

[Caller Adam]

They're gonna be trying some grill pickles out there. So I had to call in because hearing you speak, the Cadillacs he used to call his diamonds. I remember.

[Alison Stewart]

That's excellent. And let's talk to Antonia before we run out of time. Antonia is calling from Red Bank, New Jersey. Thanks for calling. Antonia, you're on the air.

[Caller Antonia]

Oh, fabulous. I wanted to say how much I love studying social history through food. And I wanted to mention two food memories. As a Hungarian American, I started eating pickled beets before I could. I don't know, before I could talk practically. And as soon as I was old enough, I was about 12 or so, I started making pickled beets. And I've never stopped. Also, I wanted to mention that I lived in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam, for a Greater part of 10 years, and I loved sauerkraut. I don't know if you've mentioned it yet, but that's the most. I think it's a national dish.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Absolutely.

[Caller Antonia]

It is in Hungary. It crosses many borders. And it is absolutely, when it's made correctly, it is one of the most wonderful, delicious things to eat.

[WNYC Host]

Thank you so much for calling in. We've only got about a minute left. Alan, if somebody has to buy store bought pickles, is there anything that they can do to make them better?

[Alan Kaufman]

Go to the refrigeration section. Don't buy in the middle of the aisles. Don't buy the ones that are sitting there for 12 months.

[WNYC Host]

All right, do you want to leave our listeners with something to think about? Pickles?

[Paul Van Ravestein]

Yeah, go into the book. I would say, until they are. Jump into the.

[Caller David]

Yeah.

[Paul Van Ravestein]

The world of the pickles.

[WNYC Host]

I'm so excited to eat more pickles. And I'm very glad that Alan Kaufman could join me in studio. He's with the Pickle Guys. He's the owner of the Pickle Guys, along with Paul Van Rabstein and Monique Mildeur, the author of the Pickle the Story of New York Pickles. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Alan Kaufman]

Thank you for having us.

[Monique Mulder]

Yes.

[Alan Kaufman]

Have a delightful day.

[Monique Mulder]

Yeah.

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