How stupid were we? We ate the pickles then threw away the jar, juice and all. Then those poor impoverished street food vendors came along, they can’t afford their own restaurant or even a bit of software for table reservations. They weren’t going to throw anything away!

And so the Pickleback was born, a shot of whisky (or whiskey or rye or you get the drift) followed by a shot of pickle juice or mixed in a cocktail. I tried a couple at the excellent ImbibeLive recently,

Pickleback – A shot of Jameson’s followed by their own pickle juice. The relatively sweet Irish whiskey is cut nicely by the relatively straightforward briny vinegar. Give me a pulled pork slider, now!

The Pickle House – Again Jameson’s followed by their own pickle juice. This juice was both sweeter and spicier than the first. Maybe a more complex juice but I preferred the first.

Pickle Buck – I tried this cocktail at the excellent Foxlow in Smithfield. Drinking in a restaurant or a cocktail bar this is the sophisticated way to go undoubtedly.

They are weird but they work. For me, this is a bit of fun in a street food setting. Pickleback gets the vote from me.