Pickles, pickling and pickled quail eggs
Posted on 05-30-10 · Asian Pantry Tags: dried & preserved, Filipino delicacies
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Say pickles and the first thing that comes to mind is the pickled cucumber. Well, it has to be the most popular pickle around, and it certainly is the oldest as it it said to date back to 2030 B.C., but it certainly isn’t the only pickle in the world.
The noun “pickle” may refer to any food that has been preserved in vinegar or brine. The verb “pickling” or “to pickle” means to preserve food in vinegar, brine (water saturated with salt) or other similar solution. It is a method of preservation through fermentation to make fresh food last longer even without refrigeration. There is no single process — in fact, there are so many and there is a website that talks of nothing but pickling processes.
Aside from cucumbers, other popular pickled vegetables include onions, bell peppers, celery, carrots, cauliflower and chilis. The local atsara (achara) is pickled green papaya mixed with spices and vegetables. Similarly, the German sauerkraut, the Korean kimchi, the Italian giardiniera, the Persian torshi, the Japanese tsukemono and the Chinese suan cai are all pickled vegetables.
Fruits can be pickled too. And, yes, even eggs.
Pickled quail eggs are sold locally and they are delicious. Just like atsara, pickled quail eggs are often on the sweet side. I like adding them to salads but they are just as good eaten straight out of the jar.
I am not so sure if pickled quail eggs are unique to the Philippines but I do know that pickled eggs have been popular in Britain for a long, long time.
How do you like your pickles? In your sandwich? Salad? As a side dish? I like mine every which way.
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Just finished pickling carrots,cucumber and daikon.
I e-mailed a cousin in Cavite for the recipe
of atsara. Besides being my favorite I think
it’s a great X’mas gift for family and friends.
H’mmm,didn’t know quail eggs can be pickled.
Don’t think I’ve ever seen pickled quail eggs. Where do you you buy these?
Supermarket. But not all supermarkets sell them. At Market! Market! stalls they’re always available.
Ouch, we go to the Libis branch. It’s the nearest one.
hi ms. connie,
i may be out of synch with my question, but let me ask you anyway.I have read in one of your posts before about the lights you put into your bathroom and i just forgot how to go over it again.I wanted to change our bathroom lights and would like to see if you have pix of the lights you put on your bathroom. I remember, I read that you bought them from Wilcon Depot. do you have pix of those lights or the latest improvements you did with your home?thanks.
That’s in the other blog. House On A Hill.