Kosher Food and Drink

About once a year, our old(est) friend, Etan G, and I get together for a pickle review. This year, Etan picked up the full assortment of pickled items from Uncle Edik’s Pickles.

Uncle Edik, AKA Edward Ilyasov, has a store in Queens, NY (176-37 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366), where he is creating his own take on a classic staple of Jewish cuisine since 2020.

So I was excited to sit down with Etan to taste through the Uncle Edik’s Pickles line. Uncle Edik’s story is fantastic, an All-American tale of a person following a passion and a dream.

I’ll begin by saying I thoroughly enjoyed everything. I am probably overly critical of pickled items as I do them myself from scratch. Uncle Edik’s uses a different variation than I do myself, going more sweet and vinegary, which, at least according to the not-so-trustworthy Etan G, is a Bukharian style.

“It’s not a typical pickle — people are used to sour pickles or half-sour pickles,” Ilyasov told The New York Jewish Week. “These pickles are vinegar-based. They’re aged for about a week in a cold aging process.”

We tasted:
* Regular Pickles (Advertised as Very Mild)
* Spicy Pickles (Medium)
* Habanero Pickles (Hot)

* Pickled Radishes with Beets
* Pickled Red Onions
* Pickled Tomatoes
* Pickles Jalapenos

Regular Pickles:

We started with the Regular Pickles. A nice little feature of Uncle Edik’s is that he jams the jar full. So where the full cucumbers or spears ends, there are little cut up chunks to fill the headspace of the jar. You definitely don’t get cheated. The regular pickles were pretty classic half sour style. Mildly tangy, hint of sweetness, nice salt. No heat, as one would expect. Good crunch, which is always important. Etan said the guy in the store told him the sugar helps with the crunchiness, which I have never heard. Another point to research. Overall: Very good, but not my favorite, and not a standout.

Jalapeno Pickles:

So fresh on the opening of the jar. You can tell there are no shortcuts taken here. This is labeled “medium” and I expected a “Jewish medium.” Meaning lots of Jews don’t LOVE the heat, so I was expecting more of a mildly hot and not a true medium. Upon eating the pickle, once again, I really enjoyed the flavor. The crunch, tang, and salt were spot on. I was a little disappointed by the heat, but I chalk that up to it being a “medium Jewish heat” and lots of people would like this amount of heat and consider it medium. Still, I like this even more than the regular.

Habanero Pickles:

So now we’re talking. Gimme the heat! Great aroma in the jar. You can really smell the fresh pepper. OK, this is what I’m talking about. Heat here is really perfect. I think a pickle should not be overwhelming with heat, as it’s usually a side dish for an entree. Don’t blow out the palate. But these are just exactly what I like. Heat is lingering and pleasant. Great seasoning, great crunch. This could be a staple pickle for me. My favorite, easily, of the three cucumbers.

Pickled Tomatoes:

Here’s where I felt I was going to be very judgy. I think I make great pickled tomatoes. Honestly, I don’t love my pickled cukes, but my tomatoes are really great – and unique. But my tomatoes use unripe, green tomatoes. These were ripe, red cherries. I’ve had similar pickled tomatoes in the past and just don’t like them. So my expectations were low. Popped one of these and wow. Loved it. The sweet here is great. It really reminded me of a bite of freshly made pasta sauce. Sweet, garlic, pepper. Really fresh and I think these are outstanding.

Pickled Red Onions:

This is also something I make all the time. I plan to post the recipe soon. One of the easier things to make and such a great condiment. Pickling helps take the “bite” out of the onion. So I was comparing these to mine. They were great. Very similar to mine and really a treat. Crunchy, sweet, and tangy. Perfect for a taco or a burger.

Pickled Jalapenos:

Excited about these, because this is something (strangely) that I’ve never pickled. Just like with onions, the pickling process takes the bite out of the jalapeno, so it’s a great process and a perfect condiment for sandwiches. These were really good too. Sweeter than I prefer, but this is Uncle Edik’s style. Sweet is upfront with the heat on the back. Nice crunch and good finish. I’d love this on a burger or tuna sando.

Pickled Radishes with Beets:

I tasted these around Pesach. Got ’em at The Grove in Surfside. I absolutely loved them. Radishes were also something I had not fermented or pickled. Don’t be afraid of these! You do not have to like radishes to love these. These are outstanding. Just a little bitterness from the radish, good sweetness and salt. Perfect vinegar and tang. Really great stuff! I’d probably recommend you try these first for something different.

Summary:

We loved all of these pickled products. If you like the sweet and salty combo you’ll really love most of these. These are all certified kosher under OK Kosher. They are available all over NY, in Miami, Cleveland, and via shipping.