Source: Taste Test: Vlasic Farmer's Garden Pickles
Looking to ramp up your pickle game? While our first suggestion would be to make your own, jarred pickles can be a great alternative in a pinch. So when we received a shipment of two varieties from Vlasic's new Farmer's Garden pickle line ($4 for a 26-ounce jar), we were mighty intrigued.
The promise: These pickles "are made with the finest U.S.-grown cucumbers harvested at the peak of freshness, married with specially selected ingredients and hand-packed within days to bring you the perfect premium pickle. Delivered from the farm to the pickle aisle at your local store, Farmer's Garden by Vlasic artisanal-quality pickles are for anyone who enjoys honest ingredients and bold fresh taste."
Deli Style Halves
What our tasters thought: Most of our tasters felt that these thicker than usual pickles were "good, but not great," with much of the fault lying in their "watered down," not quite tart enough pickling liquid. We also felt that the size and shape of the carrot rounds and red pepper chunks "seemed like an afterthought," and didn't fit in with the long spears, and tended to get lost at the bottom of the jar.
Tasters' rating average: 3
Bread & Butter Chips
What our tasters thought: Generally our tasters' reactions to these round pickles were more favorable, despite the resounding complaint that they were a bit too sweet (likely explained by sugar being the second ingredient, just after cucumbers). We appreciated their "admirable crispness," and felt that the pickled carrots and bell peppers worked better in this mix.
Tasters' rating average: 3.5
Overall thoughts: We're a bit flummoxed by the faux-artisanal packaging, and feel like Vlasic is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of some customers by advertising with such buzzwords as "honest" and "authentic flavor experience." Still, these pickles are a step up from the traditional supermarket offerings, and we might pick up a jar if not near our favorite farmers market, or specialty grocery.
Related Content:
Pickle Everything, From Cucumbers to Carrots!
Easy Pickling: Farm-Stand Tomatoes
Have You Got a Thing For Pickles?
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