653326 Fri Sep 18 15:03:37 -0700 2009 10 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 5040650 Has anyone seen good quality picking cucumbers (think dill pickles) in SF recently? I just spent 3 hours going everywhere I could think of (Safeway, Rainbow, Whole Foods on 17th, Whole Foods on 4th, lots of produce spots on Mission) and could not find any that were not old and soft. Please let me know if you can think of any place you've seen decent cukes lately- I've got a great recipe from a friend and can't wait to get them going. Thanks! -Jon Fri Sep 18 15:03:37 -0700 2009 57166 jmconcierge 1 5040794 cukes tend to go limp in heat. care to share your recipe? Fri Sep 18 16:11:59 -0700 2009 5040650 81807 intomeat 1 5040795 Have you been to the farmers markets? Alameny and Civic Center might be the best bets as they have more Asian vendors which usually have the pickling cukes. Ninth Annual Chowing with the Hounds Picnic! October 3rd, 2009 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/652687 Fri Sep 18 16:12:38 -0700 2009 5040650 10264 rworange 1 5040883 Do the folks from Lucero Farms (of strawberry fame) go to any of the SF markets? Best. Pickling. Cukes. EVER! Fri Sep 18 16:59:56 -0700 2009 5040650 11798 MollyGee 2 5040961 I know they sell at the Saturday Ferry Plaza farmers market Fri Sep 18 17:41:43 -0700 2009 5040883 10264 rworange 1 5040953 Berkeley Bowl (yes, I know it specifies SF). $1.09 per pound (not organic). Fri Sep 18 17:36:32 -0700 2009 5040650 17222 Joel 1 5041157 I've been looking also over the last 2 weeks - at a couple of different Farmers Markets, Asian grocers, Mexican grocers, etc. All have been too big, and too old. About a month ago or so I got some terrific small, very fresh ones and made the best half sour pickles just like the ones my Grandmother used to make... got my taste whetted to make more (only make 1 jar at a time...) Now I can't find any nice small ones - the changes in the weather must be the problem I guess. Fri Sep 18 19:27:40 -0700 2009 5040650 10378 RWCFoodie 1 5043752 Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I ended up finding pickling cukes @ the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market. Didn't catch the name of the stand, but they were organic cukes being sold at a stand next to Rancho Gordo, to the left of the Embarcadero entrance as you face the building from Justin Hermann Plaza. They were a little caked in mud, but once I got them home and washed them the were beautiful. A few more days and I'll have some great pickles. Thanks everyone! -Jon Sun Sep 20 09:53:11 -0700 2009 5040650 57166 jmconcierge 2 5043927 Making pickles is fun! Your recipe looks similar to one I use for bread and butter pickles. That one starts with salting the cucumber rounds to draw out excess water so if your pickles turn out watery, you could try that in a second batch. Sun Sep 20 11:39:10 -0700 2009 5043752 50515 512window 1 5043914 Phan Farm had some beautiful ones the other day. They're at the Berkeley farmers markets on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I think at SF Civic Center on Wednesdays and Sundays. I've seen them in halal grocers, too. Sun Sep 20 11:33:35 -0700 2009 5040650 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 5044280 Folks- jmconcierge has posted a recipe which has been moved to the Home Cooking board, here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/653669 Sun Sep 20 14:39:54 -0700 2009 5040650 2 The Chowhound Team