"It's been called the greatest sandwich in the world. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato, the BLT, melds freshness with fat, crunch with softness, and saltiness with sweetness and umami, creating a flavor and texture combination that's hard to beat. The exact origins are lost to history, because the sandwich's simple ingredients were common, but people have been enjoying it for well over a century."
"Tomato adds a fresh, juicy element to the sandwich, which offsets the toasted bread and crispy bacon, and helps balance the fat of the mayo. It also brings some acidity, which is a good contrast to the saltiness, and a hint of sweetness. The pickle can do all that and more. Vinegar and brine seasoning add a sharpness you wouldn't get from tomatoes."
"There's a good reason many people enjoy pickles as snacks. You're not limited to salty and sweet varieties. You can also try sour pickles, spicy pickles, mustard pickles, or even Kool-Aid pickles; the possibilities are nearly endless. When it comes to sandwich making, that means you're greatly expanding the flavor palette beyond what a normal tomato, even an heirloom tomato, can offer."
The BLT pairs crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomato to balance fat, crunch, salt, sweetness, and umami. Swapping tomato for pickles creates a BLP that introduces vinegar-driven sharpness and brine complexity while still contrasting bacon and mayo. Pickles offer a wider flavor palette than tomatoes, including sour, spicy, mustard, and sweet varieties, and can bring herb notes such as dill. Different pickles can add sweetness or heat depending on type. Incorporating pickle flavors into condiments, such as adding dill to mayonnaise, can further emphasize those briny, acidic qualities.
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