My normal approach is to buy some pickles off the grocery shelf. Sometimes I splurge and buy expensive pickles especially if they come in a fancy jar with a plain label. I am a sucker. Recently, I started making my own pickles. Turns out it is super easy to make your own pickles at home. I started off by using a 10-minute pickle kit that has been sitting in our pantry for a few years.

It’s easy to get started and experiment. As per usual, I have some tips for you venturing into pickling.

Start small. Just because you are going to make your own pickles, doesn’t mean you are going to have to stock up on canning supplies and vegetables and convert your basement into long-term storage of your mason jars.

Heterogeneity. Cut your vegetables with some small variations. This yields interesting bites and some unexpected results. Some will be mushy. Some will be crunchy.

Experiement. The recipe is straightforward… slice vegetables, boil water and vinegar with pickling spices, pour into a mason jar, seal, and store in the fridge for a while. Each step has a lot of room to tweak. You can change any of the steps and get different results. Have fun. And, almost no matter what you do, you have pickles in the end.

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Our Custom Menu:

• Amuse Bouche

• Beef Carpaccio

• Lobster Soup

• Kobe Stew

• Salt-crusted Lamb

• Epoisse Cheese and Apples

• A Tasting of Crème Brûlée

The custom menu created by Chef Perry was inspired by our personal tastes: paleo, gluten-free, and crème brûlée (this was my only specific request as it is Becky’s favorite dessert). The salt-crusted lamb topped the dinner for me. It was beautifully presented on a charred cutting board and served with carrots and smoked yogurt.

The team at The Royce made the first night of our honeymoon something to remember for a lifetime. The presentations were picturesque. The service was perfection. The dinner was exquisite.

Thank you for creating the perfect night!