Poll: Pickle Relish ~ Dill, or Sweet?

[Cooking Goddess]

I can't believe sweet is beating dill! Sweet pickles are like candy. A vegetable masquerading as candy.

Originally Posted by Katie H

I wish I'd seen this thread before I went to the grocery store today. I didn't know there was such a thing as dill relish and I'm nearly 70...

You didn't know about dill relish? But you're a food writer! How could you not know?

I'm not sure if we ever had sweet relish in the house while I was growing up. I know I've always bought dill. Well, except for that one unfortunate time I was in a hurry at the store and grabbed the sweet one by mistake. Seriously, how can you sweet relish eaters even stand the stuff?

[larry_stewart]

I remember the first ( and last ) time I made sweet pickles.
It was the end of the season, had a bunch of small Gherkin sized cukes in the garden as I was pulling the vines up. I knew my wife liked sweet pickles, so i figured I had nothing to loose.

Not sure if every recipe was like the one i followed, but i had to make the brine, let them sit in it, then drain it, put in fresh brine , sit, drain again. This went on several times. Finally, the finished product, she loved them. But , only ate one or two, the rest sat in the fridge till I threw them out. What a pain in the behind. Ill stick to dill ( pickles / relish ..). If she wants sweet pickles again, she can make them herself.

[Lance Bushrod]

I make dill pickles and love them dearly but am the only one to eat them. It's the same with pickled beets and eggs.

The mrs makes two different kinds of sweet pickles that are her old family recipes. She even chops them up for her own relish. I'm not a fan of sweet pickles but will eat them on a relish tray at the holidays, to be civil. I did make bread and butter pickles once, using my grandmother's recipe, they came out perfect, but none of the family cared for it.

[Katie H]

Originally Posted by Cooking Goddess

I can't believe sweet is beating dill! Sweet pickles are like candy. A vegetable masquerading as candy.


You didn't know about dill relish? But you're a food writer! How could you not know?

You're right but the subject never came up that I recall and I retired from writing regularly in 2009. That doesn't excuse me. Just shows I still have some things to learn.

[Cooking Goddess]

Originally Posted by Katie H

...Just shows I still have some things to learn.

As do we all, Katie, as do we all. 😉

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Cooking Goddess

I can't believe sweet is beating dill! Sweet pickles are like candy. A vegetable masquerading as candy...

I'd guess sweet relish is popular because of its popularity as a hot dog topping. The sweetness is a nice contrast to the mustard.

[Cooking Goddess]

And I prefer the sour dill with my Ballpark mustard -which has more bite than a yellow type. Go figure. Different taste buds. That explains ALL those choices of condiments in the grocery aisle!

[buckytom]

I voted "rats".
That is because I work with a guy who tells a horrific story about working in a pickle factory. On Friday afternoons, most of the whole pickles from the giant vats were bottled leaving the pieces and bits behind in just enough brine. On Saturday mornings, the augers and grinders were turned on to expel the remaining pieces of pickles to be turned into relish. My coworker said that during the first few minutes of the auger operation, you could hear the squeals of the rats that found their way into the vats.

So, relish anyone?

Squeak.

[Aunt Bea]

Originally Posted by buckytom

I voted "rats".
That is because I work with a guy who tells a horrific story about working in a pickle factory. On Friday afternoons, most of the whole pickles from the giant vats were bottled leaving the pieces and bits behind in just enough brine. On Saturday mornings, the augers and grinders were turned on to expel the remaining pieces of pickles to be turned into relish. My coworker said that during the first few minutes of the auger operation, you could hear the squeals of the rats that found their way into the vats.

So, relish anyone?

Squeak.

Horror stories about making relish aren't any worse than the horror stories about making the hot dogs that we put the relish on.

[Just Cooking]

Originally Posted by Aunt Bea

Horror stories about making relish aren't any worse than the horror stories about making the hot dogs that we put the relish on.

And the best thing is that they are all delicious... well...Two best things... We have lived through it all...

[Addie]

Sitting here reading through threads. Then this one comes up. As stated in another thread, I am not a big fan of tuna fish. But then I never thought to put pickles or tartar sauce in the tuna. If I do buy any, it is always albacore. But that can be dry with almost no flavor. So tartar sauce seems like the answer. Or sweet relish mixed in with Cains Mayo.

Hey anyone who opted for the cans of tuna willing to sell one can for the paltry amount of my check?

[Roll_Bones]

Both. Its not on the list.

[Lance Bushrod]

Originally Posted by Addie

Sitting here reading through threads. Then this one comes up. As stated in another thread, I am not a big fan of tuna fish. But then I never thought to put pickles or tartar sauce in the tuna. If I do buy any, it is always albacore. But that can be dry with almost no flavor. So tartar sauce seems like the answer. Or sweet relish mixed in with Cains Mayo.

Hey anyone who opted for the cans of tuna willing to sell one can for the paltry amount of my check?

My mrs chops up green olives to add to the tuna salad which gives it a unique flavour. Our albacore tuna is regionally canned from tuna caught off the coast of Washington and the taste is much better than the big name products.

I've been getting the packets of tuna processed with sweet relish to take to school and it's ok, not great.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by Lance Bushrod

My mrs chops up green olives to add to the tuna salad which gives it a unique flavour. Our albacore tuna is regionally canned from tuna caught off the coast of Washington and the taste is much better than the big name products.

I've been getting the packets of tuna processed with sweet relish to take to school and it's ok, not great.

I have friends that rave about the flavored packets. And then there are the folks like you and me. Meh. I have had better.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

Dill only! Do not like sweet pickles, ucky! I don't actually buy relish - I buy dill pickle spears and mince them as needed for tuna salad, deviled eggs and remoulade. Yellow ballpark mustard and ketchup on my hotdogs and the same plus sliced dill pickles on my burgers.

I do buy bread and butter pickle spears for DH to have with a sandwich, but I do the cooking, and I don't use them in anything else.

Originally Posted by larry_stewart

Dill definitely for me.
Having the word "sweet" and "Pickle" in the same sentence, should be considered a crime ( according to my taste buds).

I just never got used to it.

I absolutely agree. I don't want any of that dayglow sweet relish. I can't say that I buy dill pickle relish, I never see it. I just chop up some dill pickles or pickle slices. Stirling doesn't really care one way or the other, but says that he can "take or leave" relish.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by taxlady

I absolutely agree. I don't want any of that dayglow sweet relish. I can't say that I buy dill pickle relish, I never see it. I just chop up some dill pickles or pickle slices. Stirling doesn't really care one way or the other, but says that he can "take or leave" relish.

I like to snack on quick pickles and have them in the fridge much of the time: sliced cucumbers, white vinegar with a splash of cider vinegar and a pinch each of salt and sugar. Great stuff My mom made this frequently in the summer when I was growing up. DH doesn't like it because the vinegar flavor is too strong