The Pickle Party

I realized then that this evening of preserving was going to be vastly different from the hours I had spent canning tomatoes in solitude in years past or any structured pickling class. This was going to be a raucous pickling party celebrating the bounty of summer and preserving it for colder days ahead.

We dehydrated slices of shiitake mushrooms, submerged pickling cucumbers in vinegary brine, canned Roma and red slicing tomatoes, and chopped all manner of vegetables to be laco-fermented. Occasionally our preserving was paused to mix a few beverages, help kiddos with their chopping skills, and even juggle a few Romas. And as the evening came to a close, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction knowing my friends were leaving with numerous pints of preserved goodies, a few new skills and a joy filled experience. My next thought was, “Why had I never done this before?”

To be honest, this was my first pickle party because I have always felt a little intimidated by many preservation techniques. Pickles, in particular, have been around for thousands of years, dating as far back as 2030 BC when cucumbers were pickled in the Tigris Valley. Our human history has been shaped by our ability to preserve food when abundant, saving for the lean times. And yet, a globalized food system which has made seasonal availability of produce a thing of the past has caused canning, pickling and preserving to be a lost art for many.

The looming threat of botulism (food poisoning caused by a bacterium that can grow on improperly canned and preserved foods), though rare, holds many first-time canners back as well as access to equipment and enough produce to make the process worth devoting time to. These barriers are very real, but so are the immense benefits. Food preservation is a great way to reduce food waste, continue to enjoy local produce all year long, lock in flavor and nutrition, and avoid additives and preservatives found in certain store-bought foods.

By preserving at a pickle party, you can do all of this alongside friends, family and community members—together learning new skills, practicing self-sufficiency, and building a deeper connection with our food sources and each other.

Does this sort of party pickle your fancy? Then now is a great time to start your pickle party planning.

Save the date for a time of year when produce like tomatoes and cucumbers are abundant. We held our pickle party in late August and found tomatoes plentiful but fresh dill and pickling cucumbers in shorter supply. Availability of specific vegetable and herb varieties will vary year to year depending on weather conditions, but your best bet is to throw your pickle party sometime July through September.

While it may seem silly to start planning a summer party in the depths of winter, now is a great time to plan ahead for veg. Many local farms open sign-ups for their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs in January or February and planning for home gardeners often starts that early too. Both can be great ways to accumulate enough vegetables to preserve.

I happen to live and work on an organic vegetable farm, so I had no shortage of access to tomatoes, carrots, turnips, mushrooms and much more, but even then I still needed my mother to help find pickling cucumbers and dill at her local farmers’ market in Black River Falls.

It’s great to ask your guests to help provide produce and it is also a good idea to get to know your local farmers at markets. Some may be willing to sell you bulk amounts of produce if you give them time to plan ahead, and some may even sell you seconds (vegetables with blemishes or imperfections) at a lower price.

Now that your date and produce procurement plan is in place, here are a few more recommendations as you look forward to preserving and party season:

DO…

• Ask guests to contribute. We asked guests to bring their own cutting boards and knives, two things we had only a few of. We didn’t ask guests to bring jars and produce because we already had an abundance from our farm, but generally folks are more than happy to share the bounty from their own gardens and CSA boxes.
• Provide some structure. I printed four recipes to follow and I set up a station for each—dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, lacto-fermented vegetables, refrigerator pickles and canned tomatoes. Each station had the produce, jars, brines and any other supplies needed. Guests circulated around to different stations with their own knives and cutting boards.
• Encourage creativity! Recipes can be a great starting point, but don’t be afraid to let guests get creative with things like veg size and shapes, adding hot peppers
  or other spices, and more.
• Be safe. Do your research to know you are providing safe and accurate instructions. Always be sure the canning recipes you use have been tested for food safety.

DON’T…

• Feel like you need to supply every piece of equipment. The benefit of preserving together at a pickle party is to be able to share equipment and supplies. Plan ahead to coordinate who can supply what, whether it’s large pots and canning racks or funnels and lids.
• Forget to send a follow-up message to guests with reminders. The following day I reminded everyone of how and where to store their preserved goodies and the timing of when they could be ready to eat.