WOODBURY, Minn. — For Brian Cadwell and his wife Kelli, Kickled Mary is more than just a product, it’s a passion.
“As a child we used to get together with my family and we would make pickles once a year," said Brian Cadwell. "We would make about 150 to 200 jars and we would give them away to friends and family ... and my grandfather passed away, and I asked my grandmother for the recipe.”
Kickled Mary was born from this family recipe passed down from generation to generation and a chance encounter with fresh tomatoes.
"We had a farmer in Woodbury, and he ran out of cucumbers and he had a bunch of crop of tomatoes, and he said you need to figure out something to do with this," he said.
Brian says he hit the ground running, spending close to 10 hours coming up with a recipe – using their rich, spicy pickle brine as a base.
"He was in the kitchen grinding, grinding," said Kelli Cadwell.
In the end, creating an all-natural Bloody Mary product served and sold in liquor stores, bars, restaurants and at farmers markets across the country.
“When we did our pickles we called them 'Kickles,' pickles with a kick, so it was a natural transition," he said.
In part, they credit the support of family and friends, and customers suggesting new recipes.
“We’ve had people come back and they’d take a jar and put it in with a pork roast.”
They’re also remembering the legacy left behind.
“She's where the recipe all started," said Kelli. "She sat on these chairs, she cut, she sliced, and she passed away last summer at 101 years old.”
Sharing the beloved pickle recipe passed down from generation to generation, while creating new ones along the way.
To find out more about Kickled Mary products or where to find them, visit their website here.