MJH | “The Pickled City” Book Talk

The Pickled City takes a glorious deep dive into the history of the iconic brined cucumber by tracing the pickle’s journey from ancient Mesopotamia to Eastern Europe to Manhattan’s Lower East Side, unearthing a hidden world of family stories and economic contributions that helped shape New York’s cultural, culinary, and literal foundations.

With a foreword by pickle pioneer Sandor Katz and an astonishing wealth of photographs, historical images, documents, illustrations, advertisements, and more, this unique food biography includes:

• A brief history of the pickle from 2400 BCE to 2026.
• An overview of the rise of the pickle industry in the United States, which has grown substantially in recent years.
• Profiles of immigrant families and their iconic pickle companies, including enduring brands like Katz, Heinz, Underwood, and Vlasic.
• A survey of the profusion of pickle peddlers, stands, and stores across the Lower East Side from 1850 to 1980, exploring how the pickle industry was born and survived through decades of change, with playful text and incredible archival images.
• The stories behind New York’s most recognizable pickle stores and brands, including Guss’ Pickles, The Pickleman, The Pickle Guys, Russ & Daughters, Katz’s Deli, and Ba-Tampte.
• And much more!

Written and illustrated with warmth and humor, this culinary chronicle is perfect for anyone curious about how the pickle became such a popular snack choice, gourmet condiment, and TikTok sensation. It’s for food lovers, pickle mavens, Jewish readers, New Yorkers, deli aficionados, history buffs, readers interested in gut health, bubbies around the globe, and anyone who can trace roots to the Lower East Side.

Authors Monique Mulder and Paul van Ravestein will be in conversation about their book.

Monique Mulder and Paul van Ravestein are the creative leaders behind Mattmo Creative, a communication and design agency based in Amsterdam that blends culture, food, and design. Their work is driven by the philosophy of “the interconnectedness of things,” which also inspired their co-founding of Dutch Cuisine, a movement dedicated to preserving Dutch food culture. Monique and Paul’s passion for food culture is evident in their (visual) research on New York’s rich pickle history. They uncovered how Jewish immigrants in the early twentieth century shaped the city’s pickle industry. Their research culminated in The Pickled City, a visual exploration of New York’s pickle history. Through their projects, Monique and Paul use food as a powerful symbol of resilience, cultural identity, and human connection, celebrating the enduring legacy of culinary traditions.

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