Pickled walnuts. Where are my people?

[Inextremis]

Thanks to my late Dad, I was introduced to Opie's Pickled Walnuts at a young age, and I bloody love them (just finished off a plate of Stilton & PW). I managed to get hold of the port version this year - only the second time I've found them, and they're even nicer than the original. However - I've never met another person, in all my 60+ years, who likes them (other than Dad, of course), and most people seem unaware of their existence. So - where are you, my fellow pickled walnut fans? There must be other people buying them, or else they wouldn't be made/sold!

I would like to join the PW club please. I’ll report back when I’ve been able to buy some! Love most pickled things, except eggs. What are those about.

I like them too. Few years back my friend gave me some and I thought they were lovely! Not really easy to get them, so I’ve completely forgotten about them. Thanks for reminding me. Last time I think I got some from Greek food market.

You are most welcome to join the exclusive PW Club ;) I found mine online this year (am in Ireland), but I think I used to be able to find them in Waitrose when I was in the UK. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of pickled eggs, but I ended up making a load of them back when we had chickens and were overwhelmed with eggs. I pickled them with beets, which gave them a vivid pink colour and a slightly sweet taste - not too bad, but nothing like the glorious flavour of a pickled walnut :)

Yes! I was introduced to pickled walnuts when I was caring for a lady in her late 90s who insisted on having pickled walnuts on a side plate with most dinners, I thought maybe it contributed to her good health. I went home and bought a jar, delicious!

Me too! My parents loved them and always bought a jar at Christmas to go with the leftover cold meat on Boxing Day. I've now turned into my parents apparently! I only buy one jar a year though - no one else in the family will touch them.

Love pickled walnuts. Eat them year round, but absolutely a Christmas essential. We always had them at Christmas only growing up and Boxing Day is all wrong without them.

@AppleAllSpritz I found them in Sainsbury’s this Christmas. I don't know if they stock them all year round though.

Me me me! Love them, no roast is complete without.

Love them! Have tou tried Delia's venison recipe with Guinness, Port and pickled Walnuts?

Throwing a cheery hello in for pickled pears too, perfect on a cheese plate and essential at Christmas.

My grandpa loved them. I've never tried them....I've never had the guts!!!

Are they crunchy? Like a pickled onion??

We love them but for some reason, only ever have them at Christmas.We were able to get them on Tesco delivery until this year, but can still get them in our local Waitrose and Sainsburys.

Opies, only found on the best tables. I was brought up on them and I've been eating them all my life. After eating the walnuts, I keep the remaining liquor in the fridge and use it in beef stews. It gives a wonderful rich umami flavour.

Iv never been sure. They always seemed weird to me when I was young, I think it’s because they go black that’s right isn’t it?
Then they disappeared and I hadn’t thought about them for years.

but I had been thinking about them recently coincidentally. I like pickled things and I like walnuts so maybe I would like them!

can the enthusiasts on here give us all a lesson in taste and texture etc? Much appreciated!

I’m curious about these, have never tried them. Not super keen on Stilton — do they go with other cheeses?

I've bought them in the past. I like them. I've had them given to me, made by two different people, in the past. The jar I still have was from one of them, who got them a bit too late, so the shells were forming. I pop one or two in a stew. I think my father or mother made them long ago and got them picked exactly at the right time. Any cheese will do! When I go to Sains next I will look on the pickles on the top shelf.
I planted a walnut tree a few years ago but it won't have nuts until after I'm dead, I expect.

My mum is a pickling fiend and used to pickle anything and everything including eggs, onions, beetroot, walnuts, mushrooms and damsons.......

I had them once. A hard taste to describe, but definitely sour. In the same way that olives are hard to describe, in that they're unpleasant in a pleasant sort of way. Does that help? 😄

I gave a jar to family this Xmas. Part joke present tbh... But we all loved them.
https://auntiecaroline.co.uk/shop/ols/products/wonderful-walnuts

And, if you're interested they were made from a farm featured here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00268rp?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

And it was interesting listening to this cos I learnt more about walnuts than I knew there was to know!

For those who are asking what they taste like: I think they are a fairly unique taste. Obviously pickled, so the immediate taste is vinegary. But after that there is a very complex, deeply savoury taste. There's a certain 'likeness' to olives or marmite, but having said that, I hate olives but love pickled walnuts! I guess it's a similarly deep flavour.

The texture is definitely not crunchy. The walnuts are pickled before the shells form, so they are firm but not hard, and fairly smooth.

I think they go really well with any cheese, or cold meat.

Beware: the black pickle juice stains everything. Don't leave an open jar on the tablecloth and then accidentally knock it over 😳.

Agree, this recipe is amazing!!

I'm in my 30s and love pickled walnuts! My dad is a massive fan and tried to convert all 3 of his children but only I have any taste obviously. No one my age knows what they are though 😂

Is it true that they are pickled in the shell?

I'm ridiculously happy to find so many other pickled walnut fans :) As PPs have said, the taste is difficult to describe - Opie's 'normal' ones are fairly sharp and vinegary, but the ones pickled with port are sweeter. They go very well with robust cheeses but might overwhelm milder ones. There's no shell as such, and they aren't crunchy. I like them with ham and cold chicken or turkey, too.