Our Story

Zaidy holding the first official jar.

 

Nourish them with love and laughter. Feed them with pickles. That’s how we grew up around Zaidy’s table, on crisp punchlines and the best craft pickles made from Zaidy’s own family recipe: a tradition more than 100 years in the making, now proudly packed in every jar of Zaidy’s pickles.

“How do cucumbers like to spend their Saturday nights? Getting pickled!" At least, that’s how Zaidy always told it, right before launching into the storied history of our family’s famous pickles. Something like, “Back in my day, my parents would send me down to the cold cellar every night to fetch the pickles, and I couldn’t come back without one.” He’d slide a big stone slab off the top of the well, roll up his sleeves, and go fishing in the brine for a fresh pickle. That’s how Zaidy’s parents made them more than 90 years ago, and he has been making pickles every summer since. First with his parents, then with Bubby, his wife, and now with me.

My name is Daniel Crystal, and I’m proud to call Sam Crystal my Zaidy. In Jewish culture and in my family, we refer to our grandparents as Bubby and Zaidy. Growing up, Zaidy, Bubby, and I carried on the family tradition of pickle making every summer in my parents’ home. We’d make around thirty jars, which would last us until the next season. We only made these pickles for our immediate family with the exception of a special batch known as the in-laws pickles, or more commonly known in our family as the “machatunim” pickles. They were extra spicy and extra delicious!

Zaidy and Bubby, in their 90s, at our commercial kitchen observing and helping out with the pickle making.

 

Each summer we’d drive to the local farmers’ markets and pick up a fresh batch of cucumbers to pickle. It usually took the whole day to make the jars for the season. I have fond memories of working long hours with my Bubby and Zaidy as they lovingly joked and bickered about the recipe and the method of jarring the pickles. In the end, we always came away with smiles on our faces and a delicious batch of kosher style dill pickles ready for cold storage. 

Zaidy telling me to watch carefully as he dills in his kitchen a few years ago.

 

When I started working at Shopify, I realized the time was right to share these incredible craft-style fermented pickles with people outside of my family. There’s no pickle like a Craft Pickle from Zaidy’s. Our recipe has survived the test of time. It’s been honed over generations, and passed down like a true artisanal craft product. Try one out, we know you’ll love them.

From left to right: Mom, Jade (the love of my life), me, dad, and younger brother Eric, celebrating at our commercial kitchen after a long day of pickling.