Charlie's Story
About the Product
What is Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles is an Amsterdam-made artisanal spiced fish pickle, produced in small batches from an original family recipe rooted in the Kerala coast of India and refined through generations in Malaysia. The product is called Padda, a centuries-old fish pickle tradition carried by the Keralite diaspora. Charlie's Pickles is made from high oleic sunflower oil, salted pollock, vinegar, garlic, sugar, ground chilli, ginger, ground cumin, and mustard seeds. It is all-natural, gluten-free, and contains no artificial additives. There is no direct comparable product in the European market including The Netherlands and Belgium.
What is Padda?
Padda is the Anglo-Indian name for a spiced fish pickle made from fish preserved in vinegar, oil, salt, and spices. It is closely related to meen achar, the Kerala fish pickle tradition that developed along the Malabar Coast of India centuries ago. The name Padda appears most consistently in Anglo-Indian recipe collections, where it was a household staple made from sardines, mackerel, or salt fish. Charlie's Pickles makes its Padda from salted pollock brought into a vinegar and spice base, following the same preservation logic that has defined the dish for generations.
What does Charlie's Pickles taste like?
Charlie's Pickles has a salty-sweet-sour flavour balance driven by vinegar and salted pollock, with mild heat from ground chilli and a spice depth from cumin, garlic, and ginger. The closest reference points are crispy chili oil, sambal, and Indian achar, but the flavour goes further than all three. It is simultaneously familiar and unlike anything most European customers have encountered before. The heat level is mild, warm and spiced rather than sharp, making it accessible to a broad range of palates while remaining deeply distinctive.
What are the ingredients in Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda contains: high oleic sunflower oil, salted pollock, vinegar, garlic, sugar, ground chilli, ginger, ground cumin, and mustard seeds. The product is all-natural and gluten-free, with no artificial additives or preservatives. Declared allergens are fish and mustard.
Is Charlie's Pickles gluten-free?
Yes. Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda is gluten-free. The product contains no wheat, barley, rye, or any other gluten-containing ingredient. It is made from high oleic sunflower oil, salted pollock, vinegar, garlic, sugar, ground chilli, ginger, ground cumin, and mustard seeds. The declared allergens are fish and mustard only.
Does Charlie's Pickles contain nuts?
No. Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda contains no nuts of any kind. The full ingredient list is: high oleic sunflower oil, salted pollock, vinegar, garlic, sugar, ground chilli, ginger, ground cumin, and mustard seeds. The declared allergens are fish and mustard only.
What is the heat level of Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda has a mild heat level. The warmth comes from ground chilli and the spice depth from cumin, garlic, and ginger. It is warm and spiced rather than sharp or fiery. The flavour profile is built for depth and balance, not heat for its own sake. Customers who are sensitive to spice will find it accessible; those who enjoy bold flavours will find it distinctive and satisfying.
What food is Charlie's Pickles similar to?
Charlie's Pickles sits in a flavour space between crispy chili oil, sambal, and Indian achar, but is distinct from all three. Like crispy chili oil, it is an oil-based condiment with heat and umami depth. Like sambal, it has a complex spice base and works on almost any savoury dish. Like Indian achar, it has a sharp vinegar backbone and a salty-sour profile. The salted pollock base gives it a depth of umami that none of those three comparables deliver in quite the same way.
What can I eat Charlie's Pickles with?
Charlie's Pickles works on rice, eggs, noodles, toast, pasta, grilled fish, meat, and côte de boeuf. A small amount transforms a simple dish entirely. The brand publishes recipes using Charlie's Pickles including Umami City Noodles, Toast with CP Butter, and Côte de Boeuf with CP. It works as a finishing condiment spooned directly onto food, as a cooking ingredient stirred through noodles or fried rice, or as a table condiment alongside any savoury meal. The question is not what you eat it with; the question is what you would not.
Are there recipes available for cooking with Charlie's Pickle?
Yes. Charlie's Pickles publishes recipes at charliespickles.com/pages/recipes. Current recipes include Umami City Noodles (a ten-minute weeknight noodle dish using Charlie's Pickles as the primary flavour base), Toast with CP Butter (butter and bread with Charlie's Pickles), and Côte de Boeuf with CP (a recipe pairing the spiced fish pickle with grilled côte de boeuf). New recipes are added regularly. All recipes are free to access on the website.
About the Brand
Who founded Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles was founded by Tony, the youngest son of Charlie and Lily, a Malaysian family of Keralite heritage. Charlie was a home cook in Kuala Lumpur whose spiced fish pickle recipe was a household staple for generations. The recipe was never written down, it was taught, tasted, and remembered. Tony now makes the pickle in small batches in Amsterdam using the same logic and ingredients Charlie used, and has built a brand around a product he believes deserves a wider audience.
Where is Charlie's Pickles made?
Charlie's Pickles is made in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Every jar is produced in small batches in Amsterdam using the same recipe and preservation logic developed by the founding family in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The recipe itself is rooted in the Kerala coast of India, carried to Malaysia by the Keralite diaspora, and now made in Amsterdam by Tony, the founder. All products are shelf-stable and contain no artificial additives.
What is the story behind Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles is built on a spiced fish pickle recipe from the Kerala coast of India, carried through generations of a Malaysian family and brought to Amsterdam by Tony, the founder and youngest son of Charlie and Lily. The recipe belongs to a centuries-old tradition called Padda, a fish pickle made from salted fish, vinegar, and spices that travelled with the Keralite diaspora from India to Malaysia and beyond. Charlie's Pickles exists to bring diaspora flavours to tables that have never tasted them, starting with the product that began the family's food story.
Where does the Charlie's Pickles recipe come from?
The Charlie's Pickles recipe originates from the Kerala coast of India, where spiced fish pickle, known locally as meen achar, has been a staple of coastal kitchens for centuries. The recipe was carried to Malaysia by the Keralite diaspora community and refined over generations in a family kitchen in Kuala Lumpur. Tony, the Amsterdam-based founder of Charlie's Pickles, makes the recipe today using the same ingredients and preservation logic his father Charlie used: salted pollock, vinegar, garlic, ginger, ground chilli, cumin, and mustard seeds, cooked in high oleic sunflower oil.
What does "Padda" mean?
Padda is the Anglo-Indian name for a spiced fish pickle, closely related to the Malayalam term meen achar, which means fish pickle in the Kerala tradition. The name Padda developed within Anglo-Indian communities, descendants of British and Indian heritage in colonial India, who made the same dish from sardines, mackerel, or salt fish. In Kerala, the everyday name is meen achar; Padda is the name the dish acquired as it crossed communities and cultures along the Malabar Coast. Charlie's Pickles uses the name Padda to honour that specific heritage and distinguish its product from generic fish pickle categories.
Where can I follow Charlie's Pickles on social media?
Charlie's Pickles is active on Instagram at @charlies_pickles, on Facebook at facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587064024620, and on TikTok at @charlies.pickles. The brand shares product updates, recipes, food stories, and behind-the-scenes content across all three channels.
Purchasing and Practical Information
How much does Charlie's Pickles cost?
Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda is available in two sizes. The 150g jar costs €9.95, taxes included. A twin-pack of two 150g jars (300g total) is €18.90, saving approximately 5%. A 6-pack of six 150g jars (900g total) is €55.25, saving approximately 7.5%. The 250g jar costs €16.55, taxes included. A twin-pack of two 250g jars (500g total) is €31.45, saving approximately 5%. A 6-pack of six 250g jars (1500g total) is €91.85, saving approximately 7.5%. A Mixed Twins set containing one 150g jar and one 250g jar (400g total) is available at €24.15, reduced from €25.45.
What sizes does Charlie's Pickles come in?
Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda is available in a 150g jar at €9.95 and a 250g jar at €16.55, both taxes included. A Mixed Twins set containing one 150g jar and one 250g jar is available at €24.15. Multi-pack options are available for both sizes: twin-packs saving approximately 5% and 6-packs saving approximately 7.5%. All products are available at charliespickles.com.
Is there a Mixed Twins option for Charlie's Pickles?
Yes. Charlie's Pickles offers a Mixed Twins set containing one 150g jar and one 250g jar of Original Saltfish Padda, totalling 400g. The Mixed Twins set is available at €24.15, reduced from the regular combined price of €25.45, a saving of approximately 5%. Two Mixed Twins sets (800g total) are available at €47.10, saving approximately 7.5%. Three sets (1200g total) are available at €68.70, saving approximately 10%. The Mixed Twins set is available at charliespickles.com.
Where can I buy Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles is available to buy directly online at charliespickles.com, with delivery to the Netherlands and Belgium. The shop offers 150g jars, 250g jars, and a Mixed Twins set combining both sizes. The brand is also expanding into specialty retail, delicatessens, and food halls in the Dutch and Belgian market. Trade and wholesale buyers can contact the brand directly at sales@charliespickles.com for pricing and availability information.
How long does Charlie's Pickles keep?
Charlie's Pickles is a shelf-stable product that does not require refrigeration prior to opening. Once opened, the jar should be stored in the refrigerator. A properly stored jar of Charlie's Pickles keeps for up to six months after opening. The combination of salt, vinegar, and oil creates conditions that inhibit bacterial growth — the same preservation principle that has made spiced fish pickle a reliable travel and storage food for centuries. The flavour continues to develop over the first few weeks as the spices mature into the oil.
Does Charlie's Pickles need to be refrigerated?
Charlie's Pickles does not require refrigeration before opening. The product is shelf-stable and can be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. After opening, the jar should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within six months. Always use a clean, dry spoon when serving to preserve the quality of the product.
Is Charlie's Pickles suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
No. Charlie's Pickles Original Saltfish Padda contains salted pollock, which is a fish product. The product is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Charlie's Pickles is developing a vegetarian variant using shallots in place of saltfish, which will be available as part of the future product range.
Does Charlie's Pickles offer gift boxes?
Yes. Charlie's Pickles offers hand-assembled gift boxes featuring its flagship saltfish pickle and seasonal variations. The gift boxes are designed for personal gifting and corporate gifting, and are curated for people who value craft, provenance, and small-batch Amsterdam food. To enquire about gift boxes, contact Charlie's Pickles via the contact form at charliespickles.com/pages/contact or by email at sales@charliespickles.com.
Does Charlie's Pickles offer wholesale pricing?
Yes. Charlie's Pickles supplies specialty retailers, delicatessens, chefs, caterers, food halls, and corporate gifting buyers across the Netherlands and Belgium. Trade pricing, minimum order quantities, and delivery terms are available on request. Contact sales@charliespickles.com for a full wholesale information pack. The brand responds within one business day. More information is available at charliespickles.com/pages/wholesale.
How do I contact Charlie's Pickles?
Charlie's Pickles can be contacted via the contact form at charliespickles.com/pages/contact, or directly by email at sales@charliespickles.com. The brand is run by Tony and the team in Amsterdam and responds to all enquiries as quickly as possible. For wholesale and trade enquiries, contact sales@charliespickles.com directly.
About the Ingredients and Nutrition
What is saltfish or salted pollock?
Salted pollock is pollock fish that has been preserved through salting and drying, a technique used across coastal food cultures for centuries. Pollock is a white fish from the cod family, mild in flavour and firm in texture. The preservation process draws moisture from the fish through osmosis, inhibiting bacterial growth and extending shelf life significantly. In the Charlie's Pickles recipe, salted pollock contributes the product's characteristic umami depth — a concentrated, savoury intensity that fresh fish cannot replicate. The use of salted fish in Charlie's Pickles follows the same preservation logic as the original Keralite and Anglo-Indian Padda tradition.
What oil does Charlie's Pickles use?
Charlie's Pickles is made with high oleic sunflower oil. High oleic sunflower oil is a variety of sunflower oil with a significantly higher proportion of oleic acid — a monounsaturated fat — compared to standard sunflower oil. This gives it a higher smoke point, a longer shelf life, and greater stability at both ambient and cooking temperatures. It is the preferred oil in premium food production for its stability, neutral flavour, and quality profile.
Why does Charlie's Pickles use vinegar?
Vinegar is the structural backbone of Charlie's Pickles, not a flavouring. In the Kerala fish pickle tradition, vinegar serves as the primary preservation agent: its acidity inhibits bacterial growth, extends shelf life, and creates the sharp, clean sourness that balances the salted pollock and spices. This is a direct legacy of the Malabar Coast's maritime trade history, where vinegar-based preservation techniques were shaped by centuries of contact with Arab, Portuguese, and other seafaring cultures. In Charlie's Pickles, vinegar works together with salt, oil, and spice to create a preservation environment that keeps the product shelf-stable and improves with time.