Sterling shares British snack with peninsula

Sterling shares British snack with peninsula

Bill Howell’s 9 Spice Pickled Onion recipe features sweet Palmer-grown onions, apple cider vinegar and nine top-secret spices — but that’s about all he will say.

“You can determine what several of the spices are by looking at the jar, but the exact combination is a trade secret,” Howell said.

Owner of local craft-pickling outfit Krafted on the Kenai, Howell first developed a taste for pickled onions while he was stationed with the Navy in Great Britain — where pickled onions are a mainstay.

“When I lived there I got hooked on them,” Howell said. “But when I came back, I found that nobody makes them.”

Howell, a retired naval officer who is also a retired Kenai Peninsula College student services director, tinkered with the recipe for years until it tasted exactly how it did in those British pubs. After enjoying his own experiment for about 10 years, his wife encouraged him to share the creation.

Howell said he enjoys the onions in a salad, on a sandwich or even just straight from the jar. He also recommends trying it with sharp cheddar and a hoppier beer.

Howell has been selling his onions at the Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market in 2016, and recently added several pickled products to his inventor — pickled garlic and hot pickled garlic. The hot garlic is pickled with spices, dried chilies and fresh jalapeno slices.

“People always ask, you know, ‘what else you got,’” Howell said.

Pickling and fermenting have been getting much bigger in the last couple years, Howell said. He thinks a combination of getting the word out and the trendiness of pickled products is what he has to credit for the growth of his business.

“[Fermenting and pickled products] have made a significant comeback,” Howell said.

It’s important to note that Howell’s pickled onions and garlic are not fermented. Instead, they are acidified, which just means that Howell uses the apple cider vinegar and spices to lower the pH of his product. He said he’s been experimenting with fermented products but hasn’t quite found the flavor profile or product he’s been looking for.

Folks interested in trying Howell’s creations can find his products from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market, online at the Alaska Food Hub and through the 9 Spice Pickled Onion Facebook page.

Sterling shares British snack with peninsula

More in Life

These high-protein egg bites are filled with tomatoes, parsley and feta, but any omelet-appropriate toppings will do. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A little care for the caretakers

These high-protein egg bites are perfect for getting a busy teacher through the witching hour in late afternoon.

Dr. Thomas F. Sweeney was a dentist seeking adventure and riches. He also had some mistaken ideas about the difficulties that life in remote Alaska entailed. (Public photo from ancestry.com)
Mary Penney and her 1898 Alaska Adventure — Part 5

The three-masted ship called the Agate was a reliable 30-year ocean veteran when it entered Cook Inlet in mid-October 1898.

Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science students perform “Let’s Eat,” their fifth grade musical, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Healthy eating headlines elementary school musical

Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science stages “Let’s Eat” for its annual fifth grade musical.

Blueberries are photographed in Cooper Landing, Alaska, in August 2024. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Minister’s Message: A reminder that the earth provides

There is new life, even when we can’t see it.

The Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference is held at Kachemak Bay Campus starting on Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference returns for 23rd year

This year’s keynote presenter is author Ruth Ozeki.

This salad mixes broccoli, carrots and pineapple chunks for a bright, sweet dish. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A bright and sweet Mother’s Day treat

Broccoli, pineapple and carrots are the heart of this flavorful salad.

file
Minister’s Message: Prudence prevents pain, and, possibly, fender benders

Parents carry the responsibility of passing down prudence and wisdom to their children.

This Library of Congress photo shows the U.S.S. Maine, which exploded and sank in the harbor at Havanna, Cuba, about the same time the Kings County Mining Company’s ship, the Agate left Brooklyn for Alaska. The Maine incident prompted the start of the Spanish-American War and complicated the mining company’s attempt to sail around Cape Horn.
Mary Penney and her 1898 Alaska adventure — Part 4

The Penney clan experienced a few weeks fraught with the possibility that Mary might never be returning home.

Artwork by The Art Gaggle is displayed as part of “What We Do” at the Kenai Art Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Local artists share ‘What We Do’ in May show at Kenai Art Center

An eclectic mix of local art makes up the May show at… Continue reading

Students throw brightly hued powder into the air during a color run at Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, May 3, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Color run paints students with kaleidoscope of hues

Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science on Saturday gathered parents and students… Continue reading

tease
‘What gives it teeth’

Indigenous author Lily H. Tuzroyluke spoke on her novel and writing process last week at the Homer Public Library.

Nick Varney
Unhinged Alaska: Backtracking rusted memories

It’s amazing how something as innocuous as a simple phone call can set one trekking down their own trail of memories.