[Yes, I've not reviewed anything in a couple of years. I've intended to, but never got around to it, until....]
I went to Kalamazoo for the Kalamazoo Latvian Association's annual Christmas Bazaar, where all things Latvian are available to look, touch and taste. Some of the items were only available via pre-order, but many others had tables setup as vendors. I was there as a helper for the Czechbox Bakery, which is my wife's cottage-food bakery. If you haven't seen or tasted authentic Latvian fare, this is the place to be in southwestern Michigan!
My Dad's Latvian Style Dill Pickles with Zing are true Latvian style pickles. Hand-crafted by Imants Minka from a recipe his father started, these are as close to the "real thing" without stepping into the Fermentation barn in the Riga Central Market in Latvia (and if you haven't gone, you NEED to go!). So yes, they're authentic, but what does that mean?These are not fermentation style pickles, but rather like a "fresh-pack". Imants said they're close to a "cold pack" recipe. The cucumbers are chopped and packed fresh, half of the brine is cooked, and the rest is basically cold water. This is the first big taste you get: fresh cucumber, complete with the crunch you'd expect. The Bazaar was on December 2nd, so if you look at the label, these little babies were only in the jar for a few days...about as long as I could hold off before cracking open the first jar (yes, I bought 2!).
The second flavor is GARLIC. Latvians love two things, garlic and dill, and these pickles have lots of both. Because the garlic is a more dominant flavor, it crashes into your palette first. The rest of the dill, herbs and goodies at the bottom of the jar add just enough flavor to really make these shine.
