MoonBrine pickles may not hail from a Lower East Side delicatessen, but Stewart Golomb’s Jamaica Plain basement might be the next-best place to brew up a briny batch of cukes. A former third-grade teacher and very-much-current pickle enthusiast, Golomb casually challenged himself to make a better pickle than Vlasic, Bubba, and all of Manhattan.

Many moons, Mason jars, and pickle parties later, Golomb allowed the rest of the world (or, at least, the metro Boston area) to sample not only Super Dill!, but also the Pretty Hot! variety. Both are intensely dilly, the latter packing a lingering burn, laced as it is with horseradish, black peppercorns, and plenty of chopped garlic. As Golomb says on his Web site, "Tastebuds, meet dill. Dill, tastebuds." They could go head-to-head with any Jewish deli brines.

Available at Lionette’s, 577 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.778.0360; Bread and Butter Baking Co., 3346 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, 617.983.8688; and A. Russo and Sons, 560 Pleasant Street, Watertown, 617.923.1500, among other locations, or visit www.moonbrine.com.