I don’t sing or play the guitar, draw or paint, but somehow, a free-forming creative workshop let me sneak into their ranks. At the last gathering, I lined up a pickle tasting in between songs in progress and artful sketches.

My current project? Quick pickles. Against a canvas of brown rice, steamed with a handful of pumpkin seeds and bulgar, I presented seven pickles that have short ingredient lists and can be ready to eat in one to two hours. A plate of kurobuta arabiki sausages served as a palate refresher halfway through the line-up, while a pile of shishito peppers seared in oil and sprinkled with sea salt helped finish off the progression of flavors. A bottle of sake stood at attention nearby.

Pickle Tasting Menu

Mung bean sprouts with scallions

Mung bean sprouts with sake and bonito

Pressed turnip with konbu

Cucumber stuffed with perilla and ginger

Dragon fruit leaves with garlic

Korean dried pumpkin

Burdock root in sesame paste

Robynn tested out her new Flash recorder, the one that comes with a pet tribble, and I talked with my hands as usual. Interestingly, every pickle ended up someone’s favorite. So, upon special request, I’ll be posting recipes for all of them in the days to come.

I suppose this is how blogs get started…

(Photos by Isaac Warner Hill)