Milwaukee's Kosher Dill Pickles

Imagine my surprise when I discovered, through a combination of private investigation, Freedom of Information Act requests, and just plain dogged American persistence, that these seemingly locally-produced 'ckles are actually a regional Vlasic product. Nothing on the label indicates this except a small mention of Con-Agra in the fine print … so you wouldn't be an idiot to presume, as I did, that these are among the more mom 'n' pop offerings in the ol' Wal-Mart pickle pantry.

That said, it seems to be a case of corporate raiders buying up each other's portfolios until who knows who owns what anymore. Kind of like how Aim toothpaste and TetraMin fish food are both owned by O'Reilly Auto Parts.

Personally, I preferred these pickles back when they were called Bonduel's, before the subsequent buyouts by Milwaukee Cheese Co., Campbell's Soup, Vlasic, and Con-Agra Brands (I won't count the brief term of ownership under Berrigan's Magic Tricks, since it never made any sense AND was ruled illegal by the FDA).

Whatever the provenance, Milwaukee's are some highly satisfying pickles. Unlike a lot of whole dills, the middle remains nice and crunchy instead of mushy and hollow, as you'll experience with much of the competition.

A typical jar of Milwaukee's will give you a number of nice big ones, and a few smaller ones for when you just want a little taste and don't want to feel like you're taking on the whole football team. Of course, Milwaukee's might be best known for the spike in sales they experienced after being spotted in the now-iconic photographs of Jeffrey Dahmer's refrigerator.

Now, Mr. Dahmer's palate was pretty specific, but don't let that deter you from enjoying "Wisconsin's hometown favorite" with all of your favorite meals!

Review by Wimpempy Tarlisle