Seattle Pickle Co. Briny Biting Flavor Explosion.

"Seattle needs a pickle." And Chris Coburn is the man to bring it to them. Both Chris and I share a history of New York pickle love. (I promise there are absolutely no quotes in that sentence :) ) With events like the Lower East Side Pickle Day and a pickle to reflect each borough's own unique briny flavor, it's hard to replicate such a long history of brining expertise. But that's exactly what Chris is doing for Seattle. He is capturing the essence of the city and putting it all into fresh, salty, locally-sourced pickles.  I'm just glad he's not living near the Gowanus.

The Pickles

Seattle Pickle Co. captures the essence of salt-filled Puget Sound air using only fresh, locally produced cucumbers, green beans and more. In fact, Chris picks out each cucumber by hand and jars that same day, ensuring maximum freshness and maximum crunch. The regular dill is a balanced mix of salty and sweet, but the real shining star is the habanero dill with its mouth-tingling spicy kick.

Smitty's Mary Mix

With all this brine around, the next logical step is, of course, to team up with local Seattleite, Smitty, to create what is quite literally one of the best bloody mary mixes that I have had to date. Basically, just think McLure's but more balanced and, well, way better. A bright acidity mixes with a biting heat to send your taste buds on a bloody mary roller coaster ride filled with salty, peppery flavor explosion. Fresh whole seasonings offer major complexity, and a lighter bodied tomato juice allow everything to meld with perfection.

Seattle Pickle Co. goods are sold at small retailers around Seattle and will soon be available for purchase at SeattlePickleCo.com. But if you happen to be strolling through the Terry Ave or Fremont Farmers' Markets, make sure to pick up a sample and let Chris know The Drunken Tomato sent you.

4.5 Celery Stalks