Category: condimentPrice: 83p for a 360g jar, about $6.50 for a 520g jar in the US. Ingredients: carrots, rutabaga, onions, cauliflower, marrows, gherkins, sugar, malt vinegar, spirit vinegar, salt, chopped dates (with rice flour), apples, modified maize starch, tomato paste, sulphite ammonia caramel, spices, concentrated lemon juice, onion powder, garlic extract This is a multi-vegetable sweet pickle used on sandwiches in the UK. I didn't notice its existance until my parents were visiting and at one of the castles my husband had a cheese and pickle sandwich and I noticed brown lumpy stuff on his sandwich and asked him what that weird brown stuff was. Then I had lunch one day with my parents in St. Giles' Cathedral, and they shared a corned beef and pickle sandwich that had the same brown stuff. They liked it and let me try a bit. It was pretty good. In the end, my parents ended up taking a jar or two home with them. 
Branston pickle is brown and lumpy. It really doesn't look attractive at all. It is chunky and wet and basically looks like something you'd find in a toilet. But moving past that, it smells really good. It smells sweet and savory at the same time, with a background hint of vinegar. Nothing like what an American thinks of upon hearing the word "pickle".
It tastes sweet and tangy, but without too strong of a flavor. Even eaten on a plain cracker, the pickle flavor recedes quickly and allows the other flavors through. It's strong and flavorful without taking over, which is just perfect for a condiment. My one criticism is that the chunks are a bit big and hard to spread on bread. But Branston has an answer for that. They also offer a small chunk variety and a smooth variety, which I may try in the future. It's hard to believe I had cheese sandwiches without this pickle for so long. When my parents visited, they learned to love Branston pickle, and went home with a large jar. Now they can also buy it in the US from English Tea Store. It's good stuff.
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Alana Muir © 2006