Old Bay – the Secret to the Perfect Bloody Mary Pickle

At any given moment, there are about 15% pickles in my refrigerator. It might not sound so impressive, but it does mean at least four or five cans, which is a respectable – though not excessive – amount. I appreciate everything from a simple pickled marinade to real milk-fermented cucumber (or other vegetable). I even love those ranch pickles that Joel and I made the other day.

These ranch pickles got me thinking: What other seasoning mixes can I add to a can of humble pickles from the grocery store to give them more pizzas? The Old Bay immediately came to mind. I put two tablespoons of the red herb and spice mixture in a jar of store-bought dill spears, closed the jar, shaken it, and refrigerated it overnight.

The next day, I pulled the pickle out of the rusty red pickle and took a bite. The taste of celery salt was immediately apparent. There were other spices as well, but not as noticeable and everything was very salty (in a good way).

This is the perfect Bloody Mary marinade, pungent and vibrant – Old Bay somehow accentuates the vinegar, giving it vigor, vivacity and a little wah-wah . If you are worried that your pickles are “too salty” – I have never felt that feeling! – you can always use the reduced sodium Old Bay, but again, I’ve always liked the aggressive pickles.

After the pickles are eaten, hold the pickle for a while. I think it would be a great addition to Bloody Mary, or a good pickle for a really dirty martini. You can also save it and use it to make more pickles or, if you’re a real pickle like me, strain it and drink it straight. (Haters will say it’s disgusting, but it really helps with my headache!)

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