Yes, Pickling is for Everyday People

By Sonia Su

Personal chef Mark Tafoya demonstrated to about 15 Artscape attendees how to make Farmer's Garden by Vlasic® pickles on Friday.

The pickles, which were voted the 2013 Product of the Year in the vegetable category, use ingredients that bring "the freshness of the farm right to you," Tafoya says.

Tafoya has been featured in various publications, from the New York Times to Bon Appetit, according to his website. He is the author of the new cookbook, The Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home, A Year of Dinner Parties, which features 13 full dinner party menus, along with chef's notes and wine pairings.

Check out the video above to learn how you can make your own pickles.

Want to use these pickles in a dish? Here's how to make a Thai cucumber pickle salad with this Farmer's Garden by Vlasic® recipe. You'll need:

• 2 jars of Farmer's Garden Bread & Butter Chips, pickles and vegetables
• 2 red onions, sliced
• 2 chipotle peppers, chopped
• Zest of 2 limes
• 4 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 red pepper, sliced

Instructions: Slice pickles in half. Juilenne carrot chips from jar. Toss pickles, carrots and red peppers from jar with rest of ingredients. Chill for about 30 minutes before serving.

Happy pickling!