I love pickles. I’m not a creature of routine, and my diet is rather erratic, but I actually eat some kind of pickle every single day. I eat spicy pickled bamboo shoots as a pick-me-up; pickled ginger as a garnish; and pickled fennel and cucumbers just because I can’t resist them. Many Japanese pickles take days, if not weeks or months, to ferment, but the quick vinegar-brined pickles known as asazuke are actually among my favourites. They are sharp and salty and have a very clean, pure flavour that works well alongside all kinds of meals, not just Japanese. Also, they are superb with sake or beer – their mouth-watering acidity will keep you quaffing, so they’re excellent fodder for an evening of raucous drunken board gaming.
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