# Anyone ever ferment pickles or other vegetables? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 17, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299 "2023-03-17T18:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/41 "2023-03-18T21:23:01Z")
Coats 'em on the way out and maybe helps to distribute the spices. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/42 "2023-03-18T21:27:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m used to Italian style giardiniera which has never included oil that I’ve seen. [This product is an example,](https://www.doordash.com/convenience/store/1741887/product-details/4348334982/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwtWgBhDhARIsAEMcxeC7qcQ-9_onVfj1IINKkF7SVyO4_vH467hmgz3CYMQ6s8W09v2YaI8aAkOUEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&kclickid=_k_Cj0KCQjwwtWgBhDhARIsAEMcxeC7qcQ-9_onVfj1IINKkF7SVyO4_vH467hmgz3CYMQ6s8W09v2YaI8aAkOUEALw_wcB_k_&ms_id=7150124®ion_id=1741887&utm_adgroup_id=146943364681&utm_campaign=CX_US_SE_LP_GO_VOL_CUSXXX_18880613407_GROCER_%20PL_TOT_GROCY_BAKEPANTRYSSX_EVG_CPAx_XXX_COUSA_EN_EN_X_DOOR_GO_SE_TXT_SmartShopx&utm_content=146943364681&utm_creative_id=634150341255&utm_medium=PLA&utm_product_id=7150124&utm_source=Google&utm_term=) large pieces of vegetables ready to serve in an antipasto. Yep, that’s exactly like the Mezzetta and Cento versions I menioned. It’s a very different type of dish than the Chicago one. I mean, both are fine – just used quite differently. Chicago giardiniera is used in a similar way to, say, something like muffaletta salad/olive salad, i.e. as a sandwich condiment. You wouldn’t really eat it on its own. The Subway sandwich shops here in the Chicago area have it as a topping, along with the jalapenos and pepperocinis. It takes a Subway sandwich from being merely serviceable to borderline enjoyable. 😉 The flavorful, usually spicy, oil is part of the charm. I once picked up the antipasto version by accident somehow, and was so deflated when I realized it wasn’t what I wanted and didn’t work well for that purpose (which I’m sure would happen in reverse, too, though I think Chicago giardiniera is overall much more interesting and useful than the antipasto.) ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/43 "2023-03-18T21:40:08Z")
My Mom used to make tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables) with cucumbers and cabbage sometimes.It’s barely a quick pickle, since it’s only salt. Takes a few days and really hit and miss. When it’s good, it’s really good, but most of the time it was meh. Oddly, I never see cucumber tsukemono in the store, but see cucumber kim chee often. I suspect it’s because with just salt, it spoils too quickly. She also used to make namasu, which is a Japanese quick pickle with vinegar and various thinly sliced vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, turnips and sometimes seaweed and seasoned baby clams that my Mom used. Again, rarely really good, most of the time meh, even when made by others. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/44 "2023-03-18T22:10:17Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > In my book, giardiniera is pretty much a guaranteed success Props to this thread for inspiring me, after an initial moment of horrified dismay, to finally get clear in my head the distinction between giardiniera and giardiasis! That initial moment was bad, though. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/45 "2023-03-18T22:16:54Z")
You and me both, brother! At first I was like, is this some sort of extreme Russian roulette eating thing? Like peppers so hot they can kill you, only pickled in a jar? _Who’s gonna get yummy veggies and who’s the giardiniera surprise_ I thought. but only briefly. And now I don’t feel alone about it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/46 "2023-03-18T22:39:13Z")
I also see jardiniere for sale, which I’m assuming is giardinera with a French twist? ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/47 "2023-03-21T12:27:42Z")
I’ve made kimchi a couple times using this recipe: > **[Kimchi: A Beginner's Guide](https://www.feastingathome.com/how-to-make-kimchi/)** > > Love Kimchi? This Kimchi Recipe is quick and easy and takes only 30 minutes of hands-on time before mother nature takes over! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299/48 "2023-03-21T14:00:04Z")
I’m no fan of kimchi but my wife likes it so it will be on the list. Not too close to the top of the list though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-ferment-pickles-or-other-vegetables/981299.md?page=2)