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You probably think of cucumbers when you think of pickles. But as that one <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYey8ntlK_E">Portlandia skit</a> reminds us, cukes are just the beginning. Garlic? You can pickle that! Lychee? You can pickle that! Champagne grapes? You can pickle ... those.A pickle is any food that’s preserved in an acid. You can make pickles with fermentation but that takes more than a hot minute. Another way to pickle is to add vinegar or a vinegary brine to your fruits or vegetables, then heat-treat the combo to pasteurize it. This process is faster and simpler than fermentation, but the results have less bite—both in terms of funky flavor and crunchy texture.To amp up the former, we add salt and/or sugar, plus herbs, spices, and other aromatics. And to get the pickles crisp, we use a low-temperature water bath—[f 140]—to heat the pickles until they’re pasteurized. If you use quart—or liter—jars, your gorgeous, crispy pickles will be good to go in just two and a half hours. Store ’em in a shady spot for up to six months and you’ll have snappy snacks, garnishes, and side dishes whenever you want.So, the next time someone asks you what they should do with a fruit or veggie, you know what to say, right? You. Can. Pickle. That!