From bright-pink onions to dress up a classic Gibson to crisp vegetables to garnish a Bloody Mary, pickling is an easy way to add vibrancy to drinks. Brine plus time also can yield delicious, crunchy cocktail-hour snacks, or even colorful jars for holiday gifts.
William Tsui, bar director at Oakland’s Viridian, began pickling melon rinds, leftover beets and other food scraps to minimize waste. He found the pickles gave drinks “more dimension, more pop.” Today, pickling is a key focus at his bar.
“What’s great about pickles is you can provide acidity and depth to a cocktail,” Tsui
