Briny Bites of Pickle Joy with Completely Pickled

I'm not often caught off guard. I maintain a quiet air of easy-going aloofness, yearning to strike that nimble balance of unobtrusive confidence and humble modesty. But every once in awhile, even I break character. Do you know that feeling? That feeling when, in the words of wise Mr. Zoolander, you meet someone who is just really, really ridiculously good-looking? When you're mesmerized by the wrinkles around their eyes, lost in the peeks and valleys, rolling one over another over another? When you mentally trace the curve of that oddly named part of their upper lip until your peripheral vision catches the whites of their eyes and that bright blue ocean of mesmerizing depth stares back at you? Yes, I think you do. Because you know what happens next.

You shake yourself silly with a half smile of child-like embarrassment and start stabbing your vodka-soaked slice of tattered lime wedge with a bashful fluster of awkward straw blows. And then you do everything you can to avoid looking in their generally gorgeous, mind-altering direction.

I, of course, am married. So all I get to do is look. But even I felt a little akin to Snow White's red-cheeked admirer.

Art of The Picklemary

Completely Pickled's Picklemary Mix is not the wildly attractive fellow from my story, but rather, the one you might find sitting next to that fever-inducing vision. The bottle is fair, a bit kitschy, a bit goofy. The logo reminds me of well, a jovial old pickle, and I'm not entirely sure that's a good or bad thing. But to be fair, that's all just packaging. And at least in this scenario, beauty is truly on the inside.

Super thin but packed with flavor, Picklemary has the perfect consistency for easy day-drinking on warm days. This is no pasty bottled concoction. In fact, Picklemary is so light and fresh, you'll have to keep it in the refrigerator. Made with a whopping 30% spicy pickle brine, it provides a bright burst of briny flavor with just a hint of tomato and a light spice. Horseradish and black pepper tickle the back of the throat while a strong acidity travels the tongue. And while I am often wary of single ingredient focused mixes, Picklemary manages to highlight the flavor without overpowering the senses. So just sit back, relax and let that inner pickle beauty engulf your watering mouth.

Mary Mayhem

I also had the pleasure of receiving a jar of "Mary Mayhem," described as "All your favorite bloody mary garnishes-Pickled Brussel Sprouts, Pickles, Peppers, Green Beans, Aspargus and Jalapenos all in one jar" and a jar of Pickled Pineapple described as " Fresh Pineapple, sweet, spicy and sour in an amazing flavorful brine." I must say that the Mary Mayhem is absolutely genius. With its wide assortment, these crunchy, spicy, briny bites of pickle joy are the perfect complement to any bloody mary. And if you haven't yet tried pickled pineapple, you are missing out.

About Completely Pickled

Completely Pickled is a gourmet pickle company that uses unique blends of fresh ingredients to create a new and refreshing approach to traditional pickling. Completely Pickled also carries a line of pickled based beverages including a "Mixer & Elixir," an aged and filtered spicy pickle brine intended to be consumed straight, used as a cocktail mixer, salad dressing ingredient or to use in cooking, and a "Picklemary Mix" made with thick tomato juice, 30% Spicy Pickle Brine, horseradish, tabasco and secret spices.

Connect with Completely Pickled via Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. And make sure to visit CompletelyPickled.com for a full list of all their offerings.

If you live in the LA area, visit Jonathan AKA The Pickle Dude at these local Farmer's Markets: