Notions, whims, hobbies — they seem harmless. But David Rice knows how one simple impulse can turn on you and consume your life.
A couple of decades ago a failed search for pickled cauliflower caused him to reach for a mason jar and try it himself. And, as he explained, “it mushroomed out of control after that.”
Rice — otherwise known as The Pickle Man — is now an institution at Lake County farmers’ markets. Pick a peck (or better yet a jar) of his pickles, olives, carrots, onions, relish or whatever and you will quickly understand why people seek out his booth.
Take The Pickle Man’s brandied cherries. Despite soaking in alcohol the fruit remains fresh and bursting with juice, swelled by sweetness. They are plush and beautiful, approaching the precipes of sugar, liqueur and unadorned fruit without stepping into the abyss of lopsided flavors.
Tequila jalapeno stuffed olives tread a similarly narrow line. Each bite teeters between earthy and grassy, tart and bitter while clinging to a measured heat. It’s a clever account of each ingredient, again without tending in favor of one over the others.
And the tequila? No spirits are not a theme at The Pickle Man. Rice readily coaxes complexity from vegetables more naturally “pickled.”
His kimchee is an example of his talents. At first sweet and inviting — almost candied in appearance on the palate — the slaw develops a tart sneer, followed by an earthy funk, before snapping to with a sharp tang. While all this is occupying your attention, a sneaky heat creeps in and lingers.
It’s a wonderful touch — notable, though not overpowering.
“None of my stuff is that hot,” Rice pointed out, added that he prefers a tempered relish.
Even when it comes to the fundamentals — the basic dill pickle — Rice combines brine, feathery herbs, garlic and more into a perfectly crisp, modestly tart, moderately sweet condiment with hints of bitter earthiness.
Rarely does a pickle bring such culinary joy.
“I don’t have any special skills,” Rice observed with a shrug. “I don’t know — it’s sort of a knack. I guess I’m lucky.”
Clearly his instincts lead him to balance the flavors available for each item. And his insistence on fresh vegetables lends a sharp crunch to the carrots, the pickles and anything else deserving a firm texture.
“People like stuff that’s natural,” Rice said. “A lot of companies use preservatives” — he paused to note that pickling is itself a way to preserve foods. “The food industry in this country is horrible.”
Which, of course, is why people crowd around his stand at local farmers’ markets throughout the summer.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
