Mouthpiece

Eat, Drink And Be indie: Tasty Recipes, Inspiring Maker Stories & Exclusives

The Real Dill

Tyler Dubois and Justin Park, two friends who enjoyed making pickles, decided to get together and make a batch using cucumbers from Tyler’s garden. When they tasted the finished pickles, they were blown away. They were the best, the crunchiest, the most flavorful, the most beautiful pickles that either had ever tasted. They surprised even themselves. But unfortunately, they hadn’t written down the recipe.

It could easily have become just a part of pickle lore – a lost masterpiece, never to be tasted again. Tyler and Justin were too determined to not let that happen, and spent the next two years making batch after batch of pickles until they finally managed to recreate the flavor and crunch from that very first day. Meanwhile, along the way, they perfected their craft, came up with new recipes, and really developed a brand. They were finally ready to sell their pickles.

They originally planned to take it slow, making pickles on the side to sell at local farmers markets. The pickles were so well received, they realized they had no choice. After just one day in the market, they each went to work and gave two-weeks notice.  

Now, it’s all pickles all the time. They use the freshest ingredients they can find, they hand-cut every pickle and make a different brine for each flavor. Each pickle is hand-packed with “extras” to create a fabulous jar that really stands out.

Even after a few thousand batches, the friends still love the process of transforming beautiful fresh ingredients. These guys are the Real Dill.

Do you believe in luck?

When we made our very first sale, we set aside one of the dollar bills as a sort of historic artifact. But, the guy who bought that first jar also gave us a Powerball ticket! He had it in his wallet and grabbed it along with his cash. We don't know if it was on purpose, but by the time we realized what had happened, he was long gone. Of course, the ticket was not a winner. But we still like to think of it as a sign of good fortune to come! We still have the dollar bill and the ticket. 

What makes your pickles different from all other pickles?

We genuinely believe that these are the most flavorful, crunchiest and most beautifully presented pickles in the marketplace. But, as serious as we are about how good they are, we have a lot of fun doing it. And I think that shows.

Got any pickle tips?

Try the pickled horseradish and peppers from the Habanero Horseradish Dills in a Bloody Mary, stir jalapenos from the Honey Dills into deviled eggs and chicken salad, and use the leftover Aji chiles in hot sauce or to flavor yellow mustard. Our pickles keep on giving.