We should all be making more pickles. They're the ultimate pick-me-up for a sleepy sandwich or braise, and the quick kind can be dashed off on a whim while you're cooking something else. Unlike lacto-fermented pickles, which require carefully calibrated salinity and temperature and days or weeks for wild bacteria to develop the acidity that fends off harmful microbes for long-term storage and supplies their complex tang, quick versions are preserved and flavored by a vinegar brine and refrigeration. They're also a thrifty, low-lift way to get extra mileage out of surplus produce; a bulb of fennel or bunch of radishes will net a small jar's worth of pickles, so you don't have to pickle in bulk to make it worth the effort.
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