Sour Pickles, Sweet Service
A Brooklyn classic is getting harder to find,
but Shelskys keeps the tradition alive.
Lewes, DE ….. Somehow I’ll need to connect a pickle story to Christian Grace recovery homes for compliance with our Cape Gazette affiliate membership, so the next five residents moving into one of our sober living properties may find a quart of sour pickles on their night stands (and shouldn’t take offense).
Growing up in New York, I loved pulling a sour pickle from the big wooden barrels at the farmers market—they were the only kind I truly enjoyed. These days, finding that same flavor has been a challenge. Grocery stores stock plenty of varieties, but never the real sours. Even Rosenfeld’s, our local Jewish deli in Rehoboth, stopped carrying them offering only half-sours. So I went online, discovered Shelsky’s in Brooklyn, and ordered two quarts of their sour pickles.
When the package arrived, there’d been a mix‑up — there were two quarts of half‑sours. After a couple of attempts reaching a busy counter, I called off hours and left a polite, but disappointed message.
The next day, I get a call from a number in Paris. (France, not Texas!). It was Peter Shelsky, calling from across the Atlantic — to apologize! Yes, from Paris, about pickles!
I was impressed, but now felt a bit silly for my call. However, he was so kind, and he sounded like he was actually happy to have somebody else who wanted to talk about pickles!
Now I was smiling, and here was my opportunity to learn the answer to the question that bugs me everytime I shop, “why the dearth?”
So right then - from across an ocean - Peter explained why sour pickles are rarely found in stores: they need to sit in their original brine long enough to develop full flavor, but that softens them. To keep them crunchy on a store shelf, they’d need heavy preservatives, which would change the taste. It’s also far easier for stores to stock jarred, pasteurized vinegar-based pickles. Or something like that.
It reminded me of a Sunday school lesson I still share with Christian Grace sober living residents when they’re watching or listening to something off color: “When you soak cucumbers in sweet brine, you get sweet pickles; in sour brine, you get sour pickles.... So, what are you soaking yourself in?”
(Note to editorial: That’s twice, and even has a relevant lesson - How’d I do?)
A couple of days later Peter reached out again, He said he hadn’t forgotten about me. He had flown back to NY where he tasted the latest batch and it just wasn’t as good as he’d hoped, and thanked me for my patience. That was the second call in a week about pickles that made me smile.
Today, two fresh quarts of Shelsky’s sour pickles arrived. From the first smell to the first bite, they were exactly like the ones I remembered from my childhood, maybe better!
I know Shelsky’s isn’t all about pickles, but if the owner shows such kindness and concern for one customer over two quarts of pickles, you can trust everything on their menu is made with the same pride. It’s clear Peter has been soaking in something sweet.
To order fresh smoked fish, deli foods, Jewish comfort foods (and pickles!) to be shipped to Delaware or nationwide click here or call (718) 855-8817
Need Help
If you or a loved one are looking for a safe, affordable space in a sober living environment — whether during early recovery or as a long-term lifestyle — contact David Forman at Christian Grace at 302-500-3881 or apply online at Christian-Grace.com.
