ピクルドアスパラガス

I was skeptical about pickled asparagus, but the crunch and that sweet-tangy brine won me over. The pint size is perfect for tasting without committing to a huge jar.

The brine has just the right balance of vinegar and cane sugar—not too sharp, not too sweet. Those natural spices come through nicely on the asparagus, and the spears stay firm even after the jar’s been open for a week.

I grabbed a pint for a snack and the asparagus spears are firm enough to stay crunchy, not mushy. The natural spices give it a mild warmth that works well on its own or tossed in a salad.