Pickled Walnut is a traditional English delicacy, often served in winter (especially around Christmas) with cheeses and cold meat. It goes very well with blue cheese in particular.

It has a robust texture and a distinctive flavour that balances strong vinegar with a light sweetness of the Walnut fruit (harvested before it forms a shell and becomes a nut). Perhaps most striking, however, is the colour: it’s jet black.

The colouring is a natural reaction to the pickling process and allows for the pickled walnut to join the elite ranks of black coloured food you can serve with a martini.

Pickled walnuts have been around for at least several hundred years. They have been mentioned in classic English literature including novels by Charles Dickens and Evelyn Waugh.

I’m a big fan of walnuts in their more customary form, and the pickled walnut, with it’s woody, flesh texture isn’t for everyone, but if you haven’t tried them I thoroughly recommend it.

If you’ve bought pickled walnuts in the UK it’s likely you’ve obtained the Opies brand, one of the oldest family-owned food companies in the country. Located in Kent (like many good things) they have been pickling food since 1880.

Note that this particular pickle is made with malt vinegar which can affect some people with Coeliac disease.

It’s very simple to make a pickled walnut martini. Pour a classic martini to your taste, using these instructions, but without either olive or lemon peel as a garnish.

Instead take a pickled walnut. If it’s fairly large you might want to cut it in half.

Insert a toothpick to the pickle then add it to the glass. You can use the toothpick to lightly stir the drink.

Serve immediately. You can also serve some more of the pickled walnuts on the side as an accompaniment, perhaps with some cheese or cold meat as an appetizer, but be sure not to spoil your dinner!

Enjoy!