Pickles

Sunday was the 7th annual New York City International Pickle Day. I'm not sure we need such a day, but apparently picklers feel they need equal time, and NYC was pickle country at one time. The festival, co-sponsored by the NY Food Museum and the Lower East Side Business Improvement District (LES BID), was held on Orchard Street between Broome and Grand Streets on the Lower East Side, on the same block as famous pickle vendor, Guss' Pickles. There were pickling demonstrations, children's activities, tours, exhibits, music, book signings and of course pickles and pickled products for sale and as free samples. And Guss' Pickles? - well that's a whole other story and controversy. A hundred years ago, NYC had 200 pickle shops with half of them in the Lower East Side. Now, virtually all are gone but Guss' Pickles, founded by Polish immigrant Izzy (Isidor) Guss in 1910. Through a number of twists and turns there are two companies battling in court over ownership of the name Guss'. Read about the twisted tale here ...