Czech Center New York celebrated the launch of God Is a Pickle: Recipes and Stories for Preserving the Seasons with a joyful summer evening dedicated to the Czech traditions of pickling, fermenting, and canning. Author Šárka Otevřel Camrdová and photographer Marek Bartoš introduced the richly layered cookbook, sharing the memories, histories, and creative practices behind its recipes and images. Rooted in the rituals of stocked pantries, family kitchens, gardens, and cottages, the book traces preserving from a necessity shaped by scarcity to a living practice of care, sustainability, and imagination. Through recipes ranging from fermented cucumbers and cherry compote to kolaches and seasonal dishes, paired with Bartoš’s evocative still lifes, documentary photographs, and portraits, God Is a Pickle reveals a culinary tradition that continues to evolve across generations. The evening concluded on the Bohemian National Hall rooftop with drinks, bites, and a relaxed pickle party celebrating the flavors, stories, and summer spirit that inspired the book.
Photographer: Bruce C.T. Bybee
