Belated food post- Mardi Gras!
I haven’t posted any food things in a long time, partly because I got a little bit burned out doing food posts every day in November, and partly because I haven’t really made anything that interesting. I figure wants to read about yet another noodle soup variation. So I forgot entirely that I meant to post my Mardi Gras meal until I found the photos lingering in my camera.
There are many holidays that I don’t really “celebrate” (it doesn’t count unless I get a day off from work!) but sometimes I like to cook something related anyway, just for fun. So for Mardi Gras I usually make some sort of gumbo. This year’s version includes the Field Roast apple sage flavored sausages and also some marinated soy curls. I adore the apple sage sausages in most things, but I think the chipotle ones are better for gumbo. I was just too lazy to walk the two blocks to the store to get the chipotle ones.
This year I also decided to make some fried pickles to go with the gumbo. I know, fried pickles don’t necessarily go with gumbo. But I’ve been meaning to make fried pickles for ages and just never had any reason to. When I first heard of fried pickles I thought it sounded disgusting. And then over the past few years I developed a mysterious new appreciation for pickles and thought it sounded awesome. I had some fried pickles for the first time on the “Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger” at Native Foods Cafe in LA on vacation. I ordered that sandwich mainly for the pickles and they were delicious!
I used this recipe to make my own fried pickles. I used some nice pickles from Iovine Bros. in Reading Terminal Market. Specifically, Zayda’s Kosher Hot dills. Which are amazingly delicious pickles that have pretty much ruined my taste for anything you can get in the supermarket, and which are apparently made by some comedian guy who rides a tricycle with a toilet for a seat.
They were really easy to make- and were delicious! I made some sort of sauce to go with them but don’t remember exactly what’s in there. Definitely veganaise, maybe some hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, vinegar?
