Brinefest ’08

Today, the 14th of September, will offer up a festival to remember: The Eighth Annual New York City International Pickle Day. “
A Pickle Event that Can’t Be Contained,” (whatever that means.)

It’s hosted by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District and the New York Food Museum and runs from 11 am until 4:30 pm at two locations: Orchard Street between Broome and Grand Streets and the parking lot on Ludlow and Broome.

Here’s the 4-1-1:

The Eighth Annual NYC International Pickle Day is a free, fun street festival all about Pickles held on in the heart of the old Pickle District of the Lower East Side.

Pickle Day will feature:

• Music
• Cooking and home canning demonstrations
• Children’s activities
• Neighborhood walking tours

And of course
FREE PICKLE SAMPLES!

The New York Food Museum cuts the hyperbole and offers up the hard facts about their portion of the festival:

International Pickle Day is a free multi-cultural celebration of pickling from around the world featuring exhibits, stories and pickle facts, and of course, a tasty sampling of pickled goods - and not just cucumbers. Anything that gets preserved in brine – radishes, tomatoes, okra, cabbage, fish, meat, carrots, beans, onions, eggs, limes, mangos, peaches, and beets will illustrate a host of pickling traditions from the immigrant communities of India, Germany, Poland, China, Japan, Scandinavia, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, Africa and more.

Unfortunately, I will almost certainly not be there. NYC is simply too far for me to go for pickling. But, on the 14th, I’ll lift a glass to these wee briny beasts and think good thoughts for those of you who made the trek.

Pickle on, my friend! Pickle on.

For more information check out www.LowerEastSideNY.com or call 212-226-9010.