PICCALILLI. — Piccalilli is one of the
most popular forms of pickle sold in
this country. It consists of a variety
of vegetables — including gherkins or
cucumbers, cauliflower, onions, French
beans, etc. — which are surrounded with
a yellow pickle containing a consider-
able quantity of mustard and vinegar.
Though piccalilli is decidedly hot, yet it
is not of that peculiar character of hot
pickle known as “ Indian ” or “ Oriental
Pickle.” It seems, however, to be a
universal favourite. Indeed, a bottle
of Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell’s
sickle will probably be found in every
lotel coffee-room throughout the king-
dom ; and not only is this the case in
this country, but it seems to be equaby
popular abroad — on the continent of
Europe, and in America. Its chief
use, of course, is to be eaten plain with
cold meat. Piccalilli is very useful for
making pickle sauce hot — not only with
mustard, but with fire — to be served
with cutlets, grilled fish, etc. Take a
brimming tablespoonful of pickle out
of the jar, and cut up the larger pieces of
pickle rather small. Next add an equal
quantity of good rich, brown gravy✪ Piccalilli Sauce,
and make the whole hot over the fire.
This can now be served in the centre of
some mutton cutlets grilled, or some
grilled salmon, and it forms a very
appetising sauce for breakfast. Another
very nice sauce may be made from picca-
lilli by chopping a little of it up with
a little of the liquor rather fine, and
mixing it with about an equal quantity
of mayonnaise sauce. The whole should
be well stirred together. This sauce,
which somewhat resembles Tartar sauce,
can be served with fried eels — or, in-
deed, any fish with which Tartar sauce
w'ould be served. There is probably no
pickle in the world so universally ad-
mired _ as piccalilli. Bottles of this
favourite pickle will be found hi almost
every ship that crosses the sea. Its
chief virtues are that it produces appe-
tite arid assists in enabling those per-
sons with but little appetite to eat cold
meat. On long voyages especially there
are often times when passengers are in
that transition state between either eat-
ing a good meal or rushing on deck.
It is at such moments that there is a
loathing of anything hot, and especially
of anything that contains grease. All
those who have had much experience of
sea travelling will know that the best
euro for sea sickness is a full stomach,
and not an empty one. Indeed, Lord
Byron’s old remedy of a beefsteak has
never yet been beaten. There is per-
haps nothing so tempting at such a time
as a nice large piece of juicy roast beef,
and sometimes a spoonful of this hot
pickle will enable a start to be made ;
and a start once made, all goes well. In
most of the Oriental pickles there is a
certain richness which does not always
commend itself to the English palate.
Piccalilli is essentially English in all its
characteristics — English vegetables,
English vinegar, English mustard, and
all well harmonised with a piece of
genuine English roast beef. Un-
doubtedly it is a true saying that com-
parisons are odious, and to compare
piccalilly with any other kind of pickle
— such as Oriental pickle — may seem
invidious. Still, all things have their
seasons.
Page 180 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1880. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
PICCALILLI. — Piccalilli is one of the most popular forms of pickle sold in this country. It consists of a variety of vegetables — including gherkins or cucumbers, cauliflower, onions, French beans, etc. — which are surrounded with a yellow pickle containing a considerable quantity of mustard and vinegar. Though piccalilli is decidedly hot, yet it is not of that peculiar character of hot pickle known as “ Indian ” or “ Oriental Pickle.” It seems, however, to be a universal favourite. Indeed, a bottle of Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell’s pickle will probably be found in every hotel coffee-room throughout the kingdom ; and not only is this the case in this country, but it seems to be equaby popular abroad — on the continent of Europe, and in America. Its chief use, of course, is to be eaten plain with cold meat. Piccalilli is very useful for making pickle sauce hot — not only with mustard, but with fire — to be served with cutlets, grilled fish, etc. Take a brimming tablespoonful of pickle out of the jar, and cut up the larger pieces of pickle rather small. Next add an equal quantity of good rich, brown gravy, and make the whole hot over the fire. This can now be served in the centre of some mutton cutlets grilled, or some grilled salmon, and it forms a very appetising sauce for breakfast. Another very nice sauce may be made from piccalilli by chopping a little of it up with a little of the liquor rather fine, and mixing it with about an equal quantity of mayonnaise sauce. The whole should be well stirred together. This sauce, which somewhat resembles Tartar sauce, can be served with fried eels — or, indeed, any fish with which Tartar sauce w'ould be served. There is probably no pickle in the world so universally admired as piccalilli. Bottles of this favourite pickle will be found hi almost every ship that crosses the sea. Its chief virtues are that it produces appetite arid assists in enabling those persons with but little appetite to eat cold meat. On long voyages especially there are often times when passengers are in that transition state between either eating a good meal or rushing on deck. It is at such moments that there is a loathing of anything hot, and especially of anything that contains grease. All those who have had much experience of sea travelling will know that the best
cure for sea sickness is a full stomach, and not an empty one. Indeed, Lord Byron’s old remedy of a beefsteak has never yet been beaten. There is perhaps nothing so tempting at such a time as a nice large piece of juicy roast beef, and sometimes a spoonful of this hot pickle will enable a start to be made ; and a start once made, all goes well. In most of the Oriental pickles there is a certain richness which does not always commend itself to the English palate. Piccalilli is essentially English in all its characteristics — English vegetables, English vinegar, English mustard, and all well harmonised with a piece of genuine English roast beef. Undoubtedly it is a true saying that comparisons are odious, and to compare piccalilly with any other kind of pickle — such as Oriental pickle — may seem invidious. Still, all things have their seasons.
Records on this page
Piccalilli Sauce