19. Pickling Stuff: Not Just for Grannies

Our flat was a disaster area over the last weekend. My wife and our friend Markéta have found a common interest in the form of pickling things. Markéta taught her how to do it and my wife decided to give it a go on her own last weekend. So, the flat was buried beneath lids, jars, cucumbers, and spices. Though pickling

my wife thoroughly enjoyed herself. She took over the whole kitchen and worked for hours on end.

I never did this growing up in my house. My mother and father preferred to buy gherkins as well as jams that might be preserved. This may be because we got wonderful homemade delicacies from a local shop run by an old couple. They made delicious blueberry and strawberry jams and tasty gherkins that I could eat all day. My grandmo- ther also loved pickling things, so this last weekend with my wife would

Pickling things seems like a big part of Czech culture. Most of the pubs offer pickled cheese and pickled sausages as beer snacks. I enjoy them both very much. Additionally, the Czechs probably like pickling because they are thriftier than I am used to. They would rather make or do things themselves than pay someone to do it for them. They are also resourceful and good at finding deals at the grocers or locating sales in shops.

This describes my wife is practical as well as very terms of budgeting and

I really appreciate this characteristic in her, since I am the opposite. She capable in

and I often blow money on takeout and snacks. So, I’m not too into it, but I think pickling is a practical and cost-effective hobby. We will have gherkins for a few months now, so I will certainly enjoy

of my wife’s hard work. I guess that’s not too much to ask from a flat that looks like a trash tip for a weekend. Besides, I just nipped out to the pub for a beer and some pickled sausages.