Pickling Process

One of my fondest memories from vacations in India are of my grandmother breaking the seal on a jar of pickled mangoes. She’d hand me one in a small bowl, and I’d run to a corner of the house just relishing this salty treat. When the mangoes were just teeny tiny, my grandparents would pick, clean, and prepare them to be pickled in a brine of salt, spices, and oil. They would carefully pick each mango to pickle, making sure there were no blemishes. Months and months later when their grandkids would visit, they’d pull out the huge ceramic jar and divide them up amongst us to take home with us, making them ideal for long journeys and even longer periods of time away. By now they were built to last. Able to weather any condition without going bad. Started off as one thing and then completely transforming into a new creation after long period of time in a pressured environment. If you are currently in the middle of the “pickling” process in life, just know that you’re going to be okay. The conditions are tough and it seems like an end is not in sight. But you were specially chosen for this. You are being made to last; able to withstand long and difficult journeys. *Pickled foods are packed with probiotics and antioxidants. And they taste great! These are pickled cranberries. Let me know if you are interested in a recipe.