in a pickle GROWING PAINS produce SPLENDIFEROUS delights!

rolling hills

     As the nuances of spring begin to march toward summer,  we at in a pickle foods are GROWING and blooming in many different ways!  James just completed an in a pickle sabbatical in the rolling hills of north west Fort Worth.  His mission:  our commercial kitchen!  Woo hoo!  We are happy to say that the kitchen is finished, we've moved in, and our pickle peeps can expect some splendiferous yumminess from the in a pickle kitchen!  

Our new kitchen

     James has worked non-stop and he calls this the "growing pains" of the business.  So what did he do?  Well, he says... "when life gives us lemons... we make lemon pear jam!"  And that's exactly what he did...

Lemon Pear Vanilla Jam

And as some of you may know... Cow Town Chow Down 

 
is another part of our growing business.  It's Fort Worth's newest food park and will offer gourmet food truck dining under a large outdoor canopy, there'll be live entertainment and... our fancy foodie trailer will be there on Thursday, May 17, 2012... opening day... 

serving up Brisket sandwiches topped with our incredible tomato jam and pickles... maybe some lasagna roll ups and James wouldn't serve you if he didn't bring some Louisiana to you... Jambalaya... how 'bout that cher!


So from our kitchen's ...


to you...


Happy Season Everybody!  Life's greatest moments start in a pickle!

                           We'll be at White Rock Local Market this Saturday!  April 27, 2012

In A Pickle Welcomes Spring

It's that time of year when we want to be out of doors, swinging on the porch, enjoying spring gardens and all the bountiful produce that shouts out spring!  

We at in a pickle foods savour those delightful southern muscadine grapes...there is nothing like the cool refreshing pop as you plop a ripe muscadine into your mouth on a hot day... That's why we had to bring you our Wild Citrus Grape Jelly - made with ripe muscadine grapes  and full of nutrients - it's just what we order on those warm days of spring and hot days of summer.

Another favorite of ours is blueberries... a power packed punch of lime, loaded with anti-oxidants our Blueberry Lime Jam is a winner in taste and good for you too!  

And we would be remiss if we didn't mention strawberries!! Our Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam brings the giddiness of spring to your well-heeled palate!  The aromatic nuance of vanilla bean combined with the distinct lemon taste sets this strawberry jam apart from any other.  You’ll want to try it on a grilled PB & J or with fresh ricotta slathered in honey, pistachios and ground pepper – all atop a nice chunk of Italian bread.  It's amore!

Ahhh... the foodie delights of spring.  We hope you are experiencing all the wonders of spring and anticipating all the enchantment of summer!  We are here at in a pickle foods, as we busily do some spring cleaning, and growing to better serve our foodie companions and pickle peeps.  So don't let the winter blahs continue ... remember Life's greatest moments start in a pickle!  Breathe in a deep fresh breath of spring air and enjoy!

A Garden Is Growing

Karen helps student plant seed

in a pickle foods is proud to say that the Real School Garden at Sagamore Hill Elementary School is in place... thanks to all the folks that came out to help dig and plant a little seed!!!  Karen knows that it's much more than just seeds that were planted:  knowledge is growing at Sagamore HIll...

James and Byron Kopsa, Mercedes Benz Financial

Wednesday morning the Real School Gardens personnel were in place... the Mercedes-Benz Financial Services volunteers were ready and James was in full regalia for gardening day... 


  

 

and with added help from volunteers in the community, and Sagamore Hill Elementary School the day was a huge success!





 
Beds were installed, starter plants were planted,

Students planting

seeds were buried,

















and Karen's students were there to experience the beginning of an outdoor classroom/garden that will help them further their studies in math, science and other subjects.

Volunteers and students planting

The new outdoor learning center is located right behind the school... where the students will have close access.

 







As the gardening day came to a close it was a pleasure to see all the volunteers that had put forth such an effort to bring this new garden to fruition!

 
in a pickle foods supports Real School Gardens and our gardening hat goes off to Mercedes-Benz Financial Services for their investment in our children's future!


Ask us about gardening for the future...









 this weekend we will be at White Rock Local Market in Dallas with more splendiferous seasonal products!


Happy Easter!!!!!!

Gardening Day!

 

 

Hey all you pickle peeps!  The weather is right for gardening!  In addition to gathering fruits and veggies for our splendiferous products we are all about supporting local farmers.  This week we'd like to highlight some local but yet small farmers... well in fact, these farmers are young farmers... they may not even know what a garden can do for them YET!  One of Karen's favorite Fort Worth school's will be digging in the dirt Wednesday, April 4th installing a community garden!


The Sagamore Hill Elementary School community will be installing an outdoor classroom with the help of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and is part of Let's G.O.! (Get Outside) initiative with the Children & Nature Network. It will be a REAL School Garden where the students' outdoor classroom/garden will help them to further their studies in math, science and other subjects.  To find out more about the project click on this link:  REAL School Gardens.  If you would like to support this project they are accepting volunteers.  Please note that volunteers must go through a background check with the Fort Worth Independent School District.  In a pickle plans to be there... maybe you could too!

We will also be in Grand Prairie this weekend at the Grand Prairie Farmers Market. 

 If you haven't tried our Lemony Pear Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Vanilla or Blueberry Lime Jam... come on out!!! We've got'em by the dozen... yummy!  We sold out last weekend at the White Rock Local Market so you might want to hit us early in Grand Prairie...  at 120 W. Main Street, on market square.  We will be open from 8am until 2pm ... So Saturday... be there or be square... no pun intended!


 

As most of you know, we've been gearing up for the newest Fort Worth Food Trailer Park opening sometime in April... we'll let you know when opening day will be just as soon as we know... and YES!  We will be there and some of you want to know what we will be serving... well... of course we'll have our sweet and spicy pickles and jams but never underestimate a man who hails from that Cajun state we call Louisiana... that would be James... he is working on some true "Slap yo Mamma" goodness, along with other dishes that should let all of you know why we truly call out to those in a pickle ... come taste for yourself at the Fort Worth Cowtown Chow Down!






  






So mark your calendars for Gardening Day, Grand Prairie Market and the upcoming Cowtown Chow Down... AND our fancy food truck will also be at Fort Worth's first Solar Music Fest June 16th... there's lot's to be in a pickle about these days... but once you taste our products... you'll know that life's greatest moments start ... in a pickle!

Off to a great spring!

in a pickle trailer

in a pickle is off to a great spring.  It was fab to see our pickle peeps and farmers market vendors at White Rock Local Market  last weekend... we caught up with old friends and made some new ones!

Bolsa Mercado

 Bolsa Mercado in Dallas was also hopping with folks in a pickle for our seasonal jams!  Thanks to everyone that came by and tasted.  AND speaking of our seasonal jams...  Strawberry Vanilla and Blueberry Lime will be making their seasonal 2012 debut soon!!!  We'll have those great jams at the next White Rock Local Market... woo    hoo!!! 

Rollin' With in a pickle

in a pickle fancy food trailer

Our fancy food trailer is movin' and a shakin' ... stare at her.... can't you see her moves??  No???  Well, come check her out up close and personal - she'll be decked out in all her glory at Fort Worth's newest Foodie Truck/Trailer Park on Main Street... soon!!!!

Cowtown Chow Down Food Park

 The Cowtown Chow Down  is putting in all the accoutrements that a fine Foodie Park needs... and coming in April we'll be there along with other Food Trucks and Trailers to serve up some incredible, splendiferous FOOD!  We're thinking that James may cook up some Louisana Boudin, there might also be some Lebanese favs too.  We're salivating just thinking about it!  We'll let you know what we're cooking as we get closer to move-in date.

in a pickle will be serving up some sweet and spicy pickle chips and actually you'll be able to pick up all our line of pickles and jams this weekend at White Rock Local Market.  Rain or Shine!  It's Opening Day so stop by on Saturday from 8am until 1pm - the address is 702 N. Buckner Blvd, Dallas...  Karen will have Spicy Orange Lemon Marmalade until it runs out and of course all our other seasonal artisan jams.

Bolsa Mercado

We will also be at Bolsa Mercado in Dallas on Saturday sampling our jams from 1pm to 4pm and you can buy there too!  Stop by and say, "Hey" to James!  Proclaim your Pickle Proudness!

in a pickle foods

AND in our own backyard... a new market!  Dos Gringos Locos Market at 1015 University Drive in Fort Worth.  Opening Day is this Saturday from 9am until 1pm.  Danette's Urban Oasis will be there selling great products INCLUDING our line of pickles and jams.  So check it out and be and sure you tell Danette we sent ya... And that you're rollin' with in a pickle! 


 

An In A Pickle Twist on the Monte Cristo

Our jams taste good with a water cracker and on an artisan bread ... but you haven't lived until you've tried a Monte Cristo ...in a pickle style!  We take a traditional sandwich ... fluff it up Monte Cristo-ish and add our seasonal jams.

Here's how you do it...

Take two slices of a hearty artisan country bread, add a slice of turkey, a slice of Black Forest ham and a slice of Swiss cheese.  Beat a couple of eggs and 1/2 cup of milk together and dip both sides of the sandwich in the egg mixture.  Over medium heat, melt butter and cook the dipped sandwich - turning once or until the sandwich is well-browned on both sides.  Cut the sandwich diagonally and sprinkle a light snow of confectioners' sugar on top with a plop of in a pickle jam like our lemony pear vanilla bean... yummy!  This is soooo good you'll want to make a few!


And while you're delicately chomping into that hunk of love ... think about this... Fort Worth will be welcoming a SECOND Foodie Truck/Trailer Park in April and in a pickle foods will be there.  The Cowtown Chow Down will be located on Main Street between downtown and the stockyards, and we'll be servin' up some splendiferous in a pickle foods for all our peeps... there'll be many other foodie trucks there along side our fancy food trailer... check it out and save the date ...  we'll keep you posted when we are on the road.