Pickle Pros: 2009 Winners

Perfect PicklesOur 2nd Perfect Pickle Contest drew a enthusiastic audience on the opening day of the Wintertime Farmers Market. On Saturday, November 7 at noon, twenty-four entries were sampled. By 1pm we knew the Perfect Pickles of 2009:

  1. Best Traditional Brine: Liz’s Luscious Spicy Garlicky Cukes (Pippin Orchards)
  2. Best Alterna-Brine: Angela’s Amazing Pickled Pumpkin (Wishing Stone Farm)
  3. Best Ferment: Barbara’s Best Sauerkraut (homegrown)
  4. Best in Show: Erika’s Exclamatory Pickled Ramps (foraged)

Angela kindly e-mailed us the recipe for her stunning Pickled Pumpkin:

2.5 pounds of fresh pumpkin, pared and cut into cubes of desired size. I did 1 inch cubes.
1 quart vinegar
2 pounds sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon each whole cloves and whole allspice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 red pepper pod, broken (I used crushed red pepper flakes, I think a teaspoon or two)
rind of one orange (I cut the orange in half, juiced it, and threw the halves in)

Put the pumpkin cubes in a large kettle. In a large saucepan combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. Place over medium heat and boil for 5 minutes (once the sugar was melted I added the orange rind). Pour the hot syrup over the pumpkin and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook slowly until the pumpkin is clear (translucent) and tender. Lift out the pumpkin and pack into hot sterilized jars. Pour over hot syrup to fill the jars. Seal immediately. Process in hot water bath for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let jars sit for 5 minutes before you remove them from the water.

I would let the jars sit for at least a week (two is better) before you open them. It makes a huge difference!

Thanks to our judges: Mayor Doyle, Genie of Edible Rhody, Mikayla of Slow Food RI and Farm Fresh staffer Sarah. Thanks also to all of the local producers at the Wintertime Market who donated prizes, which included Barden Family Orchard apples, Cupcakerie cupcakes, Deluxcious chocolates, Hickory Hill pickles (!), Hill Orchards cider, Moosup River Farm relish and Simmons Farm eggs.

And so many thanks to the stars of day: all of our picklers. See you on Saturdays at the Wintertime Farmers Market and next year at the 2010 Perfect Pickle Contest!