Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a fun and quick read. The drawings were great and can’t wait to try out these recipes.

Most of us think of pickles as cucumbers brined in a vinegary solution. Pickles come in all types: dill, sweet, bread and butter, etc. Some pickles are chopped and mixed with other things and called relish. However, those types of pickles are only the beginning. Other vegetables can be pickled, and some mixes of vegetables are iconic in other countries, such as Korean kimchi. Anyone who wants to expand their understanding of and learn how to make wonderful and innovative pickles will want to pick up an excellent book, Pickles, Illustrated: A Cookbook of 36 Recipes and Briny Miscellany.

Not only does this book include recipes for great pickles, it also includes little articles on pickle facts, which are interesting and fun to read. This book has everything that anyone would want to know about pickles. The recipes include pickles from all over the world in addition to the traditional pickles served as condiments at American tables.

This is a colorful book, and the illustrations are charming. However the book doesn’t have any actual photographs. The recipes are easy to follow and are definitely worth preparing at home.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

As a lover of all things pickled and an enjoyer of illustrated cookbooks, I was so excited to get my hands on Pickles, Illustrated. The illustrations are so fun and eye-catching, and make it a pleasure to flip through. The author did a great job of breaking the recipes down into easy to follow steps, and although the ingredients list is written into the recipe, the text of the items are bolded, so after a bit of a style adjustment I got used to the layout.

The book is full of classics as well as recipes for foods I would've never thought to pickle such as peaches, cranberries, and even shrimp! I've already made the Thai Cucumber Quickles and they were delicious - I can't wait to dig in and try my hand at more recipes!

As someone who believes pickling is a bit of a lost art, this book was a total delight. 🙌🏽 The bright, playful illustrations caught my eye immediately, though the thoughtful breakdown of recipes and techniques that kept me scrolling through the pages. I genuinely loved how it celebrated fermentation..not just for the flavor, but also for the gut health benefits.

We garden at home, and this book has sparked so many ideas for preserving our summer harvest. From quickles to deep ferments, there’s something here for every type of veggie, spice level, and pickling mood. I especially appreciated the range of recipes, from classics like pickled red onions to bold ideas like Green Strawberry Salsa (yes, please!). 🤤

If you’re a fan of fermented foods or want to bring more preserved goodness into your life, this book is absolutely worth a read and would make an adorable and functional gift, too!

Do you like Pickles? Kimchi? All sorts of vegetables steeped in vinegar? Then this is the cookbook for you.

Delicious recipes are divided into sections depending on what kind of pickled item you would like. All the recipes are easy to do with common kitchen ingredients and utensils. Nothing special is needed.

And to make it even more delightful the cookbook has adorable illustrations.

This would be a great addition to one’s fermenting cookbook collection!

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As someone who’s admittedly swayed by a cookbook’s visual charm, “Pickles, Illustrated” stole my heart the moment I laid eyes on its adorable pickle imagery and clean, inviting design. This isn’t just a pretty face, though—it’s packed with 36 high-quality recipes that make pickling accessible and fun, from classic kosher dills to quirky creations like Green Strawberry Salsa. The bright illustrations enhance the experience, turning each page into a visual treat that’s as delightful as the recipes themselves. For a visual person like me, this book strikes the perfect balance between eye candy and practical, inspiring content.

I dove right in with the Cinnamon Clove Pickled Peaches and Fresh Apple Chutney, and let me tell you, they were absolute winners! The peaches had this warm, spiced sweetness that paired beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, while the chutney added a tangy-sweet kick to my cheese board. The recipes are clearly written, with thoughtful details like the best salt to use and the four pickling methods—quickles, refrigerator pickles, fermentation, and salt-curing—making it easy for both beginners and seasoned preservers to succeed. I’m already eyeing the whole cranberry pickle recipe for Thanksgiving, and if it’s anything like what I’ve tried, it’ll be a game-changer for my holiday table.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a Polish girl who grew up pickling cucumbers every summer with her mom and grandma, this book speaks to my childhood heart. Illustrations are eye catching and fun! There is a delightful number of recipes that feels achievable, meaning I may actually enjoy all the recipes in a cookbook for once?! Although I appreciate the ingredients being bolded and highlighted in the instructions, I do wish for an ingredients list. Where did all the recipes from? Book lacks storytelling and connection to each recipe.

Growing up my Papa was obsessed with pickles. I had family secret recipes to make them. So when I saw this book I was excited that it could be very nostalgic. There were so many things I would not have thought to pickle but the recipes looked so good. I can't wait to get this book to try them out.

4 stars

I saw this cover and immediately requested the book! My husband loves pickles. Loves loves loves them. Would eat pickles with every meal if I wasn’t around, so I thought this would be a great push for me to start making them!

I’m sure the recipes are good, but this layout makes it incredibly hard to follow. Ingredients are written in paragraph form, instead of bulleted separately, which means your eyes are scanning and rescanning the ingredients. I own a lot of cook books, like a lot-a lot, and none of them have this problem. A design choice was clearly made, but I don’t personally think it’s a good one. I also think the sketches are cute, but some are too abstract to give the dish credit. If I’m being sold a seasoned pickle, I need to see that reflected in the illustration. If I’m being given instructions for cut, sliced, and diced- don’t give me whole vegetable drawings. There are a few recipes I’m excited to try, but this won’t be a go-to book because of the unique design decisions.

This a great handbook dedicated to the lovely Pickle! I really adore the illustrations, and the quick guide to pickling different types of fruits or vegetables. The pickle facts are also a fun addition! Would make a great gift for the pickle lover in your life.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Karen Solomon’s Pickles, Illustrated is a vibrant and quirky cookbook that celebrates the art of pickling with both style and substance. Featuring 36 recipes across four flavor categories—sour-ish, savory-ish, sweet-ish, and spicy-ish—the book offers a playful yet practical guide to preserving everything from classic red onions to bold Szechuan peppers. The whimsical illustrations and cultural tidbits sprinkled throughout make it as enjoyable to flip through as it is to cook from. Whether you're a seasoned fermenter or a curious beginner, there's something here to inspire your next briny creation.

I rated this 3.5 out of 5 stars. While the book is visually delightful and packed with personality, I found myself wishing for a bit more depth in technique or troubleshooting tips for those newer to pickling. That said, the character of the book shines through in its creative combinations and global pickle lore, making it a fun addition to any kitchen shelf. It’s a great pick for casual cooks, charcuterie lovers, or anyone looking to add a little tang to their culinary repertoire.

Wonderfully illustrated and even more informational, Karen dives into modern pickle making leaving readers feeling capable and inspired to take a chance on pickling something new!

Delicious recipes! I am a big pickle fan, and enjoy trying new pickles, so this was right up my alley. The drawings are very cute and eye-catching. Will be recommending this for purchase for our library's cookbook collection as it is the perfect blend of art and recipes.

This book is a great introduction to pickling and recipes are divided into four flavors: sour, savory, sweet and spicy. There are helpful pickle facts included throughout such as ideas for how to reuse pickle juice. The diverse recipes included have wide appeal across cultures as many parts of the world are represented. The illustrations are bright and abstract rather than overly realistic which compliments the creative approach to pickling in this book. I am excited to try many of these recipes and can see this book pairing well with a pickling program at a library!

SUCH a cute little book with the most adorable illustrations!! i love the “pickle facts” sprinkled throughout! i cant wait to try some of the recipes 😊

Pickles, Illustrated is a delightful and creative cookbook that brings personality to pickling! Karen Solomon makes what could be an intimidating process feel approachable and fun. The illustrations give it a playful, almost comic-style flair, making flipping through the pages a joy.

There’s a great mix of traditional recipes (classic dills, bread & butter, spicy carrots) and more adventurous options like pickled cherries and preserved lemon rinds. I loved that it includes quick pickling and longer fermentation options, so you can try something fast or dive in.

The tone is casual and witty, making it more like a conversation with a quirky, pickle-loving friend than a stuffy instructional guide. It loses one star only because some recipes assume a bit of previous kitchen know-how, and a few measurements weren’t as precise as I would have liked—but nothing a little trial and error couldn’t fix.

Overall, this vibrant, unique cookbook is perfect for anyone who wants to play with flavors and experiment with pickling beyond the basics. It’s now a favorite on my kitchen shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great cookbook. Very easy-to-follow recipes. I can't wait to try these recipes. I would highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

An adorable, well-designed cookbook for any who delight in fermented foods! Beautifully illustrated and easy to follow along, I can't wait to make these recipes.

This delightful book is full of recipes for pickled and fermented foods of all kinds. Many of the recipes are for things I have encountered and loved in the different countries I've lived in or visited, and still others are completely new to me! There's a good variety of flavour profiles and recipes that take different amounts of time to prepare/ferment/pickle. Many of these are ready to eat in an hour or less, others take just a few minutes of prep work to get ingredients into jars to ferment/pickle. The choice to use illustrations for the images instead of photos lends a modern feel and whimsy and makes this an attractive book. It also includes pickle facts which are interesting and sometimes describe different ways to employ the things you're making.

I am trying out some of the recipes for which I have the ingredients this weekend. I'll post an update once I've been able to try the results.

The prep work for the brussels sprouts was simple. These have to sit for several days.

Prep work for the daikon radish with fresh lemon is a bit more involved, but not too complex and the flavour after a few hours is very promising.

Such a great informative book about food prepping. Canning recipes are building hype back up and pickling is one method that is quite quick and easy for one to grasp, and this book offers plenty of helpful tips and recipes to pick up and take on yourself with ease.