The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

August 8, 2010

Uncle Bunk’s sweet pickles rated among nation’s best


For The Register-Herald

SISTERSVILLE — Uncle Bunk’s has been chosen by Country Living magazine as offering one of the country’s five best pickles.

Uncle Bunk’s 14-Day Sweet Pickles were chosen from entries all over the United States and are featured in the July/ August issue currently on newsstands.

Country Living magazine regularly features their Fresh Picks on food products in each issue.

The food editor for Country Living magazine called Uncle Bunk’s in February to request samples of their products for consideration.

“We were thrilled when they called us in June to say we had been chosen a top 5 winner and would be in their upcoming issue,” says Larry Young, the original “Uncle Bunk” and co-owner of the business along with his wife, Rose Marie, and daughter Stacey Young Kasun.

What makes their pickles so special?

“They taste like they have been hand-canned by Grandma, and they really do take 14 days to make,” says Bunk.

The company works very hard to stay true to the old Appalachian recipes handed down by Bunk’s grandma.

“We are very particular about the quality of the ingredients we use,” says Bunk. In addition to buying locally grown vegetables, they still raise some in their own gardens. The canning process is very similar to how Bunk’s grandma did it with the vegetables hand washed, hand cut and hand packed into every jar.

Winning awards is nothing new to Uncle Bunk’s. They have been three-time winners of the Scovie Award, the food industry’s top award for recognizing hot and spicy foods. Other awards include the Worldwide Mustard Sauce Competition, the Fiery Food Challenge and Chile Pepper magazine’s pick of 21 must-have mustards.

Along with Rustic Pepper Sauce and Mustard Relish, their 14-Day Sweet Pickles were one of the first products the company offered when it began distribution in 2004.

Other products in the “Condiments with a Kick” line include 14-Day HOT sweet pickles, Chili in a Bottle and a selection of meat rubs.

Uncle Bunk’s products are available at www.unclebunks.com as well as gourmet  shops throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.

In this area, Uncle Bunk’s products are available at Tamarack, HoneyBaked Ham, Bramwell Train Depot, Blue Smoke Salsa, Hawks Nest Lodge State Park, Twin Falls State Park and Pipestem State Park gift shops.

For more information from Country Living website go to: http://www.countryliving.com/cooking/about-food/best-american-pickle-brands-0710.