About Us
Our Story
Hi, I'm Alex, and I'm the pickling poet. I've been a writer for as long as I can remember, and graduated with my MFA in poetry from Queens College in 2018. Now I teach composition, literature and creative writing at several universities throughout NYC and Long Island.
That's my wonderful wife Tanya, the brains of the operation. Together, we combine our powers to unite the two disparate worlds of awesome pickles and poignant poetry.
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I've always loved pickles, and always wanted to try making them, but for various reasons, I never followed through with the idea. That is until one day while I was out shopping at a local Key Food. I picked up a jar of your typical dill pickles and was struck by the thought: "I can do this. I can do it better." I started researching and brainstorming that night, and haven't stopped since. One night, after coming home from work, Tanya saw me cooking up one of my first batches of pickles and joked: "I could have married a doctor or lawyer. Instead, I married the pickling poet."
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And here we are.
Our Vision
At The Pickling Poet, we believe that food and art share a unique power to nourish both body and soul. Our passion for culinary craftsmanship goes hand in hand with a deep love for the written word. Our vision is to combine these two seemingly unlike worlds together - Like an unexpected metaphor that forever changes the way you see something.
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Beyond offering delicious, hand-crafted products, we’re committed to fostering a community where creativity thrives. Through our literary journal, Brine Literary, we’ve proudly showcased dozens of talented poets and writers from around the world, amplifying emerging voices and giving them a platform to share their stories.
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Each jar we sell is a blend of tradition and innovation, much like the poets we feature. From the pages of Brine Literary to the verses tucked inside every order, our vision is to make poetry a part of everyday life—whether it’s on your bookshelf, at your table, or inspiring your own creative journey.
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This is more than a business for us—it’s a movement to blend the culinary and the creative, one pickle and one poem at a time.
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Brine Literary
Click on the covers to read the first two issues of Brine! Brine will reopen for submission in the Spring of 2025.
Brine
Poems
Brine Literary Issue #1
Brine Literary Issue #2
Featured Poets
Here are just a few of the poets we've published in Brine. Make sure to give them a follow!
