The Pickled Snack That's An Unexpected Martha Stewart Favorite

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Snack cravings can hit pretty hard, and it's always nice to have something easy on-hand in the fridge to quell the quick hunger attack. For most snack addicts, it's usually sweet or salty: a bite of cheese or chocolate, a quick-made sandwich, or ad hoc ice cream sundae with whatever ingredients might be within arm's reach. When it comes to the professionals, some of them take the time to make a fully cooked mini-meal (even just before bed). Bobby Flay goes for a bacon, egg, and cheese, while Andrew Zimmern likes a grilled toast with butter and anchovies. But Martha Stewart keeps it simple — no heat necessary. It's as easy as forking a salty, tangy pickle from the jar... but this pickle is fish.

Martha Stewart's favorite late-night snack is pickled herring. In an exclusive interview with Town & Country, Stewart said, "I eat pickled herring as a late-night snack before I go to bed because it's savory and good." That simple — savory and good, huh? For the uninitiated, this may sound like an incredibly carefree (even careless) way to name drop a fish in a jar. But, if you've never had it, pickled herring isn't necessarily the musty, near-spoiled stuff of a cartoon cat's fantasy that you may be imagining. It can be quite mild — salt, vinegar, and spices with a clean, white fish behind it all. A good pickled herring is downright fresh tasting, like a good mackerel at your favorite sushi spot. But how did herring get in the jar, and what's the best way to enjoy it?

Pickled herring has long been a Scandinavian staple for the simple fact of necessity. It was a way to keep it edible when feeding the population that lived away from the coast. You can enjoy Martha Stewart's favorite midnight snack just as she does — straight out of the jar. But we'd recommend using a fork, especially before bed. The little salty fillets are also delicious on a thick slice of sourdough or on traditional Swedish whole grain rye bread, knäckebröd. Leksands Knäckebröd Swedish Rye Crispbreads are a good, real-deal Swedish choice, and come in the huge rounds that are fun to crack into smaller pieces.

As for the herring, Traditional Abba Herring (no, not that ABBA) is a bit pricey, but it comes all the way from Kungshamn on the Swedish coast, and will give you the real Scandinavian flavor. Or, if you have a Scandinavian or Nordic import store nearby, they can help steer you in the right direction. Interestingly, ABBA (the Swedish pop group) got permission from Abba (the Swedish fish company) to use the name shortly before they rose to stardom. (Probably a good move for name recognition.)

Both herring and knäckebröd are created for long winters, so they have a long shelf life and can be saved in the pantry for a year or longer for when the craving hits. If you're a little intimidated by the purely pickled fish flavor, try Abba Senapssill Herring in Mustard Sauce. It's a nice tangy, mustard-forward bridge to the world of pickled fish. And if you want to further explore the shelf-stable fish rainbow, herring is just one of 14 canned fish you should have in your pantry.