How to Celebrate National Pickle Day in the Hudson Valley

Who doesn't love a good pickle?

According to National Day Calendar, National Pickle Day is celebrated annually on Nov. 14. The holiday reportedly has been celebrated on various days for 75 years, starting with encouragement from the Pickle Packers Association in 1949.

Also See: The Anchovy Debate: Pizza Lovers' Strong Feeling in Hudson Valley

I've always been a fan of pickles. With many different options in the Hudson Valley to choose from including the popular Gary's Pickles which I would pick up at area markets, along with Spacey Tracy's Pickles. I mean, the Hudson Valley is such a popular spot for pickles that there is even the Rosendale International Pickle Festival each year which held its 28th annual event last month at the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz.

A Little About Pickles

The term pickle comes from the Dutch word pekel, meaning brine. In the United States, the word pickle typically refers to a pickled cucumber. However, just about any fruit or vegetable can be pickled.

Pickle Facts

- We consume a phenomenal 5,200,000 pounds of pickles each year in the United States. While pickles can be high in sodium, they are a good source of vitamin K. In moderation, they make a great snack.

• Food vendors sometimes serve pickles on a stick at fairs or carnivals. They are known as stick pickles.
• A rising trend in the United States is deep-fried pickles. The pickle is wrapped in dough or dipped in breading and deep-fried.
• The popularity of the pickle dates back thousands of years to 2030 B.C. At that time, traders imported cucumbers from India to the Tigris Valley. Here the people first preserved and ate the cucumbers as pickles.

Pickles on Pizza

I once discovered an amazing pizza that was a go-to for me during the COVID-19 pandemic. The area pizza shop that is no longer around unfortunately, offered a pizza with fried pickles, jalapeño peppers and pineapple served with a side of ranch dressing which was just amazing!

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Whether it be Dill, Gherkin, or anyone of the many other types of pickles, you should eat them all day long on this day. Try tasting pickled carrots, cauliflower, or watermelon. Even some proteins are pickled, such as eggs. What's your favorite kind of pickle? I like flavored pickles personally including hot and sour and sweet horseradish. #NationalPickleDay