Micah Siva's Smashed Cucumber Dill Salad

My zaida (grandfather), named Arnold, was a natural host. Every time we went to his house, he would come in with a tray of candies, Mrs. Fields cookies, Coke, and ice cream floats (with unique flavor combinations, like cream soda or orange soda in place of cola, no less). He made freshly squeezed orange juice for my bubbe (grandmother) every morning, and if you were lucky, he would make you a batch of “Zaida’s Pickles,” made with pickling cucumbers, salt, sugar, and vinegar. It was a perfectly tangy treat that we looked forward to and craved every summer. Since then, I often make my own pickle variations and think of how he took such pride in caring for others. The flavors of Arnie’s pickles inspired me to create this cucumber salad, a modern twist of a side dish that is a hybrid between a salad and a plate of his pickles. It’s a great dinner party option.

Pickles and Jewish Cuisine

Pickles play an important part in Jewish cuisine, especially for those living in Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Russia. Before refrigeration was possible, pickling was a way to preserve fruits and vegetables to ensure there was enough to eat throughout the cold winter months. There are two main types of pickling: with a brine and with vinegar. Salt-brined pickles are what we now associate with Jewish delis because vinegar was too expensive for poor Jews to afford. Jewish home cooks used salt to preserve the summer’s bounty along with garlic and dill and were then left to ferment for weeks, if not months. 

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