Dilly Bean (1959)--and the dillatini

[Laurence Horn]

Another madeleine moment, as Barry's postings often induce.  I've
been enjoying "okratinis" for the last three years (only in months
with R in them; the others require gin and tonics).  An okratini is,
of course, a martini with a hot pickled okra (Taste O' Texas and
Trappeys are recommended brands).  Inspiring this innovation, I'm
sure, was my distant memory of dilly bean martinis--I don't remember
calling them "dillatinis", but I would have if I'd thought of it.  I
dimly recall jars with happy dressed-up string beans (or green beans,
depending on where you are) on the label.  Can't recall the brand,
and I haven't seen them in years (although I've seen pickled
asparagus and other vegetables).  Okratinis are more interesting
anyway.

Larry

P.S.  Along the same lines, during the LSA meetings in New Orleans I
tried something they call a Cajun martini.  The role of the olive was
played by a small whole or halved jalapeno pepper.  Not particularly
Cajun, as far as I could tell, and my impression was that the
jalapeno didn't have the desired "affinity for gin" of the dilly bean
or pickled okra.  (The jalatini was still superior to those execrable
"hurricanes", though.)

At 7:11 PM -0400 5/11/03, Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
>DILLY BEAN
>
>    DARE has 1968.
>
>
>   Food News: Dilly Beans Make Good; By NAN ICKERINGILL; New York
>Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Mar 4, 1960; pg. 17, 1 pgs
>
>   On the Town; By Paul Herron; The Washington Post, Times Herald
>(1959-1973), Washington, D.C.; Nov 29, 1959; pg. 246, 1 pgs
>
>   On the Town...; By Paul Herron; The Washington Post, Times Herald
>(1959-1973), Washington, D.C.; Nov 15, 1959; pg. H8, 1 pgs
>
>   Their Booming Business Is a 'Dilly'...Beans We Mean; By Elinor
>Lee; The Washington Post and Times Herald (1954-1959), Washington,
>D.C.; Jul 16, 1959; pg. C8, 1 pgs
>("Dilly Beans (for the benefit of the uninitiated) are pickled,
>uncooked green beans--deliciously crunchy.")
>
>   On the Town; By Paul Herron; The Washington Post and Times Herald
>(1954-1959), Washington, D.C.; Jul 12, 1959; pg. H5, 1 pgs
>("Memo to all bars serving martinis with a dilly bean: The
>Sheraton-Park Hotel says, by golly, it is the only place in town 'or
>even in the United States that serves a dilly bean in a martini.'
>The hotel calls its drink a "Dillatini.'  A dilly bean,
>incidentally, is a poor little green fellow with a dill flavor and
>an affinity for gin.")