Blasta Books #9: Funky

If you take the five basic flavour profiles – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami – then add the basic contrasts of a successful dish – smooth, crunchy, zingy, fatty, crispy – you soon realise that using pickles in your cooking can lay down some excellent funky beats. Having a range of pickles and preserves in your fridge is akin to your Spotify playlists: you can scan through them and, depending on your mood, use them to add verve to your dishes and your day.

For Caitlin Ruth, when it comes to pickles she’s looking for taste, a contrast of flavours and a good way to make a funky dish. There are few dishes that can’t be improved by the addition of a pickle – and few fruits and vegetables that can’t be thrown into a jar in a 10-minute pickle project. With suggestions for how to eat and serve each pickle and tips on how to use them in surprising ways (think pickle-brined fries or a pickle zhoug), Caitlin puts the fun into funky to pack your plate with flavour.