Most residents of Greenpoint, Brooklyn are sleeping while Shamus Jones and his Brooklyn Brine crew make pickles at the popular restaurant Brooklyn Label, during its off hours.
Because of their nocturnal pickling schedule, Shamus tells me he’s running on just a couple hours of sleep. The year-old company has been blowing up in popularity, signing more accounts than ever, including a brand new one with Whole Foods, and Esquire Magazine has just declared their pickles “the best”.
Despite the success of their coveted savory treats, Brooklyn Brine owner Shamus stays humble and acknowledges that the friends and relationships he’s built in the food industry over the years are imperative to his business. He speaks highly of Brooklyn Label’s generosity as well as Urban Rustic and Marlow & Daughters, for being the first to sell Brooklyn Brine products in their restaurants.
Brooklyn Brine uses only produce from local farms, farms Shamus has been dealing with since his days as a chef, and I urge you to get out there and try some of their offerings that change with the seasons. The newest items on the menu for summer include lavender asparagus, ramps, garlic scapes, eggplant, orange and saffron pepper relish, fiddlehead ferns, and sunchokes.