In today’s blog, we’re diving into a ground-breaking brand that’s shaking up the pickling game. Sylt is all about having fun with pickling and making it easy for you to join in on the excitement. Our CEO has recently jumped on board the pickle bandwagon, and let us tell you, it’s a party you don’t want to miss.
Stick around to discover why this brand is the secret ingredient your taste buds have been craving!
Let’s kick things off with the origin story: what sparked the brilliant idea behind the Sylt brand? Was it a lightbulb moment or a slow simmering inspiration that led to this culinary gem?
The idea behind Sylt fell into our co-founder Ash’s head as he was staring into his parents’ fridge in despair over the lack of anything pickled available for the fish tacos he was going to make. He took this idea to Temi, who was on board straight away – and after a late night brainstorming session in his garden, Sylt was born.
Pickling made easy! Share with us the magic of your liquids and how they transform the pickling process from daunting to downright delightful.
We wanted to create a product that made pickling as easy as it possibly could be, but still enabled people to pickle exactly what they wanted. Our pickling liquids takes the by far most tedious and smelliest step – and biggest pitfall – out of the process: making the vinegar based concoction you need to pickle. This leaves you with a simple three step process – pick what you want to pickle, chop up it and submerge in your choice of pickling liquid.
Amazingly simple and speedy. Lets now dive into the magical world of your pickling liquids! What’s on the menu, and how can one navigate the tantalising choices to find the perfect match for their pickling adventure?
We have five different flavours of pickling liquid: the classic pairing of Dill & Mustard, the earthy and bright Juniper & Sage, spicy and zesty Scotch Bonnet & Lemon, the rich and delectable Balsamico & Basil and the warm and slightly sweeter Spiced Apple with Cinnamon & Cardamom. To give you a starting point, we have put some of our favourite pickling subjects on the labels of each flavour, and release monthly pickling guide on our socials and website, with one type of seasonal produce for each of our flavours – so you can keep enjoying the produce in question long beyond its season.
That’s fantastic! What a helpful idea that fits right in with your mission: educate, entice, and experiment. Can you elaborate on how each of these objectives plays a role in your brand’s philosophy and how they enhance the pickling experience?
For us pickling has always been a super fun way to work new flavours into your cooking, and that is exactly what we want it to be for our customers too. At the same time, it is a great way of reducing your food waste, with leftover fruit and veg finding a new home in a pickle jar, rather than the bin. In short, we want to change the primary meaning of the word pickle from something people eat, to something they do. The three E’s, as we like to call them, is our tools for driving this behavioral change, we educate people on what pickling is and the benefits it brings, we entice people to try it for themselves through creating a wide variety of recipes and videos, and drive experimentation both through our pairing guides and by showcasing as many different use cases as possible beyond just pickling – as they are a great ingredient in sauces, marinades, dips, dressings and even cocktails.
100%, couldn’t agree more! Now, let’s talk about favourites! What’s your go-to pickling combination that never fails to impress?
Since we began our pickling adventure, we have made it our goal to try pickle as many different things as possible. Our first big discovery was the pineapple and Scotch Bonnet & Lemon combo, which is just phenomenal, as are plums in Spiced Apple Cinnamon & Cardamom and fennel in Balsamic & Basil. A more recent discovery has been finely sliced cauliflower leaves pickled in Juniper & Sage, which turned out super crispy and delicious. There are countless more delicious combinations too, and there are only two things we advise against pickling – banana and avocado. Beyond that, you can pickle everything.
Got it, and those suggestions sound incredible! Speaking of amazing combinations, what’s a standout dish you’ve created using your own pickled treasures?
A personal favourite of ours is a Dill & Mustard cucumber hummous, a delicious combo of tangy and creamy and our mushroom burrito with Scotch Bonnet & Lemon slaw is delectable. Finally, pickled berries make for a brilliant base for jams and chutneys. They’re also great in a crumble, if you want something a bit different!
Wow! It's very obvious that you're masters in your field! However, for those just dipping their toes into the pickling pool, which Sylt products would you recommend as the best starting point?
It really depends on what you are looking to pickle, and personal preference. If you like spice, Scotch Bonnet & Lemon, if you are a gherkin fan then Dill & Mustard is the one, Spiced Apple is great for fruits and berries and Balsamico and Basil works with pretty much anything Italian. Our most versatile flavour is Juniper & Sage, so if you are feeling undecided that is a good starting point.
Noted, thanks for sharing! Shifting focus from flavour for a moment… pickling isn’t just a culinary art; it also comes with health perks! Can you shed some light on the benefits that come from indulging in pickled delights?
Absolutely! Beyond the fact it helps you eat more fruit and veg (which at least it has done for us), the vinegar in the pickling liquid can help regulate your blood sugar, and if you struggle with cramps a little bit of pickling liquid can help speed up the recovery. Our entire range is also free of any additives, artificial flavourings, colours and preservatives, so you can tuck in with a clear conscience.
Fabulous news! We’ve also heard whispers of workshops, what can you tell us a bit about these hands-on experiences?
The workshop, or Big Pickle Parties, as we like to call them, is a brilliant way for us to connect with our customers, and for them to really understand what we are all about. As any good party, we start with a short presentation (it is fun, we promise!), where we explain what pickling is, its history and how our pickling liquids work, accompanied by some of our favourite pickled treats and our signature pickle cocktails/mocktails. After that, everyone is let loose and get to pickle for themselves. We take care of everything, all you need to bring is yourself!
How brilliant! They certainly sound like a lot of fun! And, last question before we sign off, for those who can’t wait to try your products, where’s the best place to buy some Sylt goodies?
Our full range is available on our website, syltpickling.co.uk. We are also stocked in a number of delis, farm shops and garden centers, as well as in Selfridges (which we are very excited about!).
And we are very excited too! This remarkable brand’s expanding reach is music to our ears.
We’ll drop their social media links for you to explore as well because they consistently share some really epic content.
For now, we appreciate you taking the time to read our blog. Enjoy your pickling adventures, and don’t forget to show off your creations to them @syltpickling
VCA
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