Product Watch: Mean Beans

I remember reading about New Yorker Rick Field's pickles a few years ago in The New York Times and making a mental note to track down a jar or two. Being a Southerner, I'm addicted to spicy okra pickles, and I believe I've mentioned here before how much I like salt. Save the occasional magazine endorsement of Rick's Picks, I kind of forgot about them until I spotted a neat line of jars at Whole Foods this week.

And I've fallen hard for the pungent and spicy Mean Beans, pickled green beans spiked with cayenne pepper in a dill brine. The Windy City Wasabeans, flavored with soy and wasabi, are tasty, too. Whole Foods also had the Bee 'n' Beez ("turbocharged bread and butter pickles"), Phat Beets, GT 1000s, Slices of Life and Spears of Influence.

I always keep a few jars of Talk O' Texas hot okra pickles in the pantry, so I'm eager to try Rick's Picks Smokra (what a great name) with smoked paprika added to the mix. (There's a two jar per person limit on the web site!) Metrocurean friend Counter Intelligence was even inspired by the Rick's Picks story to try her hand at pickling.

At about $7.99 a jar, these are definitely designer pickles. But hey, we all have our weak spots. Some people splurge on handbags and shoes. I buy pickles.

Rick's Picks
$7.99 a jar
Spotted at P Street Whole Foods

(Photo from rickspicksnyc.com.)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Wow. I'm so excited. I was just considering pickling again, but I'll wait if Rick's Picks is at whole foods. Such good info. Thank you! Melissa
2/27/2007 11:45 PM
Jason said…
That's awesome. My wife and I just got back from New Orleans, and while I was in one of the local restaurants I ordered a Bloody Mary. Guess what was in it? A spicy pickled green bean! I'm positive it was one of these and it was fantastic. I'm picking this up today!
2/28/2007 2:27 PM
Amanda said…
Eating them does make me want to mix up a batch of bloody marys. Any other fun food stories from NO, quix?
2/28/2007 3:32 PM
Jason said…
Oh man, several. My wife had a dozen different reasons for visiting NO. I had ONE. For the FOOD! There was the "taste adventure" at Louisiana Bistro where the chef made up a menu for you on the spot. Or the turtle soup (with sherry of course) and to-die-for Bread Pudding Soufflé at Commander's Palace. Or the AMAZING tasting's menu at Stella's that included Shark Fin soup and a Lobster and Black Truffle soft boiled egg. Many yummy stories, indeed!
2/28/2007 4:44 PM
Amanda said…
Sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing. Now I need to book a trip down to visit my bro...
3/01/2007 10:46 AM
Anonymous said…
rockland's has some dece pickled dealies.
3/20/2007 12:59 PM
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