Wickles Wickles Wickles

      When I moved to Alabama my coworkers at Cooking Light gave me a gift I'm forever grateful for. They introduced me to Wickles.  A spicy sweet pickle that I can only find in the southern states. Check it out:  http://www.wickles.com/  Gotta love the dancing cucumber and pepper.
       Thick slices of crunchy pickles that are a perfect balance of super spicy, sour, and sweet.  They're addictive.  I've always been a pickle lover (pickle bar at Goldie's anyone?), but these take the cake.  Too many times have I stood at the fridge with the door wide open popping them in my mouth.  I look down and realize I've eaten 10 rather than the one I went to the fridge for.  Oops!
       I have revealed this treat to friends and family who find themselves exhibiting similar behavior.  Before I moved from Alabama I bought multiple Piggly Wigglys out of their Wickle stock. And at a particular gift shop in Apalachicola, Florida I found a gallon jar of them! You better believe I didn't think twice about purchasing that quantity of pickles.  I dread the day I run out.
       My most recent jar is suddenly empty thanks to a snacking episode yesterday afternoon.  But I'm going to keep the liquid and attempt to reuse the brine by adding in some dill pickles from the store.  The liquid would also be great to use in a dressing, perhaps for some 'tater salad? With some chopped Wickles and hard boiled eggs? Yes, sir!
       In the meantime, I've just done my 1st round of experimentation to recreate these crazy good pickles.  Notes:  not using brown sugar next time and using more sugar period.  The heat, sour and garlic flavor is great, but not sweet enough yet.  Keep ya posted on this endeavor!