Pa Hill Pickle product reviews

I was a little concerned on trying this after looking at the ingredients where it said that it contained 'Cucunber' - a professional label really should not be containing spelling mistakes and (I can hear my typing teacher screaming at us that we need to be consistant with capitals) looking at the label I was also shuddering at the spacing, well lack of. Besides that I did like that 'Cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education!' although a lot confused by this being on the label, I did understand once I opened the product.

Now, I am not a huge pickle fan but for some reason when looking at the review items this was screaming out to me and I just had to try it. Receiving it I was drawn straight to the White Heron and it automatically intrigued and calmed me. I did not know that if you saw one, once in your lifetime, it was considered to be good fortune.

Tonight I had made a meatloaf with mashed potatoes, carrot and parsnip mashed and cabbage mixed with onion and garlic. It needed something else and I could not think of a better chutney to use than Pickle. It automatically took me back to my grandad having cold meatloaf sandwiches with pickles and as much as I hated the taste I would always ask to have a bite. Dishing up I just decided to put a blob on and see how everyone reacted. As I know my eldest does not like pickles I told her it was an orange chutney and she was happy with that explanation.

I got mixed reviews the main one being it was too sour and detracted from the meal, where as I really did not have a problem with the taste. I enjoyed it, where it was a tad sour I don't think it was really an issue. My youngest who loves cucumbers said she preferred it mixed in with her potatoes instead of using it as a cover for the meatloaf. My husband loved the chunky cauliflowers but he just could not get over the sour element. My eldest had ate it and when I asked her how she enjoyed the pickle she replied with 'I did not have any pickle' and when she found out her face was priceless.

The price alone is a little off putting - especially when you throw in the unprofessional label. As a family I can not see us getting again. I am looking forward till tomorrow though where I will be having cold meatloaf sandwiches, with this pickle as my dressing and I will be thinking of my grandad as I eat them.

My great-aunt always kept a couple of jars of home-made piccalilli in her cupboard. It was the go-to accompaniment for all kinds of cold meat. Her favourite was ham off the bone with a chunk of white bread - rough cut with a knife, no sliced "rubbish" in her house - served with far too much butter and a good helping of piccalilli. In those days, I did not know what she put into the piccalilli, only that you could see bits of cauliflower in it and that the colour was always a startling shade of yellow. Since then I have bought several different brands in various supermarkets but have usually been disappointed. That earthy, slightly tart flavour has often been replaced in modern times by excessive amounts of vinegar.

This product is far closer to the original version. It has large chunks of cauliflower so you know what you are eating, and the vinegar taste is much more subtle. In fact, vinegar is the last item listed, as it should be! You can also see the other vegetables, albeit in smaller amounts. The capsicum and beans offer a contrasting colour which is visible from the outside of the jar. I love the legend "Cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education" which is printed on the label. Although I am not sure I fully agree since I am a cabbage addict and will happily eat it with anything, it did make me smile!

We tried it several ways: as a dip with a platter of smoked cheese and crackers, stirred into a little mayonnaise for an egg salad, and as a spread on cold corned beef on the requisite soft white bread roll. We even tried it on a sandwich, also made from old-fashioned style white bread, with salami and finely sliced tomato. All were delicious, but the jar ran out far too soon. I think we were using too much and because the cauliflower pieces were quite big it was easy to pile too much on. Not that I am complaining - I would just prefer it to be packaged in a larger jar.

Yesterday we experimented with adding it to a sweet-and-sour fusion dish - white fish fillets, steamed and added at the last minute to a pan of vegetables and spices. I stirred them in lightly so the fish pieces did not break up, and then I put a spoonful of pickle on top of each serving to add flavour. It served the dual purpose of adding an extra layer of taste to the dinner while also helping to cool it down so we could eat it sooner. It was a tasty combination.