Pickled

With even a casual reading of Lucy Norris's Pickled you will never again look the same way at cucumbers or cabbage. Or okra, or jalapenos, or eggplant for that matter. Welcome to the world of pickles and pickling. And, as Norris so ably demonstrates, it is one big world. She introduces Pickled with a bit of history and a lot of technique. This being a food preservation technology and all, it pays to be attentive up front here to working safely. Her chapters then break down as "Cucumbers"; "Cabbage and Other Leafy Greens"; "Root Vegetables, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and More"; "Mixed Vegetables"; "Fruit"; "Meat, Poultry, and Eggs"; "Seafood and Fish." For those who think pickles begin and end with kosher pickle spears, Norris opens the door to such delights as Shiozuke (Salt-Cured Japanese Cucumbers), or O-I Kimchi (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi). And beyond the boundaries of the cucumber: Hot and Sour Pickled Cabbage, Pickled Ginger, Beguner Achar (Eggplant Pickle), Tomato Chutney, Romanian Pickled Peppers, and Green Mango Pickle. And that isn't even scratching the surface.