Return of the Pickle Feast

Last year, Fishtown Pickle Project took the age-old Feast of the Seven Fishes holiday tradition and created something of their own — the Feast of the Seven Pickles — a holiday cocktail party featuring seven pickle-centric dishes paired with wines. It was such a hit that not only did they add two seatings and accept walk-ins, but they ended up with a nearly 200-person waiting list. They had so much demand that they also jarred seven different types of pickles for an in-home version, entitled “Pickle Party Mix.”

Thanks to the success of the inaugural event, Fishtown Pickle Project owners Niki Toscani and Mike Sicinski are bringing it back for a second year. On Tuesday, December 20th, Fishtown Pickle Project will partner with Paffuto Philly and Mural City Cellars to present the Feast of the Seven Pickles: Gabagool Edition. There will be four timed seatings (90 minutes each), beginning at 5 p.m., with the final seating at 9:30 p.m. The event will take place at Mural City Cellars’ pop-up location at 2146 E. Susquehanna Street in Fishtown.

“Last year’s event was amazing, and the response was totally unexpected,” said Toscani. “We knew it would be a fun and unique event, but it blew up in a way we never could’ve imagined. It not only brought us attention, but we were thrilled to raise awareness and funding for Magee Rehab! Thanks to popular demand, we absolutely had to bring it back this year, but with a delicious spin to keep things interesting. We’re excited to work with Paffuto Philly and Mural City Cellars this year, and to raise money for Philabundance.”

This year’s Feast will see a new menu featuring seven pickle-centric, Italian-themed small plates in collaboration with Paffuto Philly, the culinary team of Jake Loeffler and Dan Griffiths that serves up fine Italian eats and treats. The menu will include charcuterie, caprese, arancini, pasta, seafood and desserts utilizing locally sourced ingredients, along with innovative pickled fare.

There will also be a pop-up gift shop at the event, featuring gift baskets, jars of pickles, bottles of Mural City Cellars’ wine, and specialty items from Paffuto Philly available for purchase.

Tickets are $55 apiece, with a 3-glass wine pairing option for an additional $20, and can be purchased at http://fishtownpickles.com beginning Tuesday, November 29th. A portion of proceeds from all sales will benefit Philabundance on behalf of Preston & Steve’s Camp Out for Hunger on WMMR.

Fishtown Pickle Project was launched by Chef Mike Sicinski and Dietitian Niki Toscani in 2018 after gifting handcrafted pickles to their wedding guests. Their small-batch fare is purposefully crafted using all-natural ingredients and bold flavors, sourcing cucumbers and other produce from local farms, like Muzzarelli Farms in Vineland, New Jersey, whenever possible.