By Chef Jeremy McLachlan

The word pickle is showing up on things you never thought possible. Pickle-flavored popcorn, sunflower seeds and even beer. Pickle juice is also replacing Gatorade on the sidelines of sporting events and is a great chaser for cheap whisky. Have you ever had pickled fruit? Before you answer that question think about it for a second. Vinegar is used in many different recipes like sweet and sour chicken, your favorite beef stew, chutneys and some desserts, so why not fruit? When I spent some time in Hawaii I followed signs on the side of the road for Pickled Mangoes and discovered that plain mango was not as good as pickled.

The reason to pickle fruit is to add a little acidity to the sweetness. This month's festival dishes includes pickled blueberries that are set on top of a nice fatty piece of sockeye salmon. The balance of sweetness to the vinegar has to be done carefully so you do not taste vinegar. When the pickled fruit hits your palate you should taste a bite of acidity then sweetness sets in and, Bam!, your pallet is cleansed and you are ready to eat more! How much more is explored by my fellow food blogger, Kathy Kingen, who explores the history and nutrition of pickles this month in Get into a Pickle.

This month I want to give you a simple Pickled Rainier Cherries recipe. The flavor of these little jewels of sweetness is heightened even more with a punch of acidity and spice. Pickled cherries are great on fish, chicken or even ice cream! When I scream you scream then we all scream for ice cream!

Pickled Rainier Cherries

2 pounds Rainier cherries, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 lemon juiced

Pit cherries and place in a sealable mason jar that has been cleaned thoroughly.
Add ginger, cinnamon, sugar, salt, red wine vinegar, water and lemon juice to a sauce pan.
Bring to a boil and then cook for 2 minutes.
Pour over cherries in mason jar.
Seal and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
Open and eat and eat and eat.

CHEF'S TIP: These little bad boys are amazing in Manhattans — but don't pickle your liver!!!

(Author of Kitchen Talk, Jeremy McLachlan is also Corporate Chef for Salty's Seafood Grill restaurant group. He says: My love is to create great dishes with fresh seafood, as we are a seafood restaurant, but not forget the meat lovers. My goal is to match exceptional food with our incredible views. Living in the Pacific Northwest, we are fortunate to have an abundance of regional treasures. The use of these fresh ingredients is key to Salty's Northwest cuisine. If you have any questions about cooking, feel free to email me at chef@saltys.com.)