In celebration of National Pickle Day, Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers is offering a free new or sour pickle to all customers who visit Ben’s locations in New York and Florida on November 14.
Although its origins to National Pickle Day cannot be traced, the first annual Pickle Day was celebrated in New York City in 2001. The origin of the pickle itself can be traced back to 2030 B.C. At that time, cucumbers were imported from India to the Tigris Valley, where they were first preserved and then eaten as pickles. The name “pickle” comes from the Dutch word pekel, meaning “brine.”
Many historical figures saw pickles as having many benefits. Cleopatra subsisted on a full diet of pickles which she believed attributed to her good looks. Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte fed pickles to their troops, believing this food would give their soldiers the strength they needed to go into battle.
As part of its longstanding tradition, Ben’s has given out pickles to its dining room patrons free of charge along with their entrées and sandwiches. “Not having a pickle would be like a marriage without a significant other,” said Ronnie Dragoon, Founder-Owner of Ben’s. “Pickles go hand in hand with Kosher deli sandwiches.”
Ben’s pickles have the best ingredients in their pickling and fermenting process. “Our pickles are graded so the sizing is consistent,” Mr. Dragoon said. “The sour pickles are true sours, which means they have been pickling and fermenting for many months, unlike the quick cure or pasteurized pickles, which lack the true and authentic taste of pickles from the Old Country.”
Pickles are also considered to be a healthy snack; they are low in calories and rich in Vitamin K. “We have had guests come to the deli counter and place an order just for pickles, especially pregnant women,” Mr. Dragoon said. “However, some people just love to snack on a pickle; they have no sugar and very few calories.”
For more details, visit www.bensdeli.net.
About Ben’s Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers
Ben’s is a family-owned and operated delicatessen/restaurant company that has been serving up the finest authentic New York Kosher delicatessen products and eastern European comfort foods for more than 42 years. All of Ben’s sandwiches, soups and dinners are freshly prepared. Ben’s has six convenient locations: three on Long Island in Carle Place, Greenvale and Woodbury, and one each in Midtown Manhattan; Bayside, Queens; and Boca Raton, Florida with free delivery service available to many communities around the stores. Ben’s seventh location in Scarsdale, NY is scheduled to open in November 2014. For more information, visit www.BensDeli.net or call Ben’s Catering Hotline at 1-800-344-BENS.
