If you’ve locked lips with a traditional pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Delicatessen in New York, then you’d be aware that the rye-wrapped feast comes accompanied by an assortment of equally hefty pickles. Inspired by the variety of good-quality pickles in the US, Paddington-based photographer Mike Hilburger took it upon himself to create a selection of locally made pickles to rival the imports.

Starting with an old family recipe sourced from the dusty pages of his Czechoslovakian-born mother’s archives, Mike modified and honed the formula to create Picklehead Pickles. Now offering five flavours – New York Style dill, the chilli-infused Hot Patootie, garlic-heady Bronx Vanilla, smoky Billy Bobs and malty Swamp – Picklehead Pickles crafts its salty cucumbers from fresh ingredients sourced from the Brisbane Markets and infused in an apple cider or malt vinegar brine. Mike rises with the sun every fortnight or so and heads along to Rocklea to pick up Australian-grown cucumbers, garlic, chilli and dill before trudging home immediately to capitalise on freshness and flavour of his haul.

Sample these briny spears in meals at Tippler’s Tap, The Scratch, Kettle and Tin and Scout and Java Lounge, or keep an eye on Facebook for limited-run take-home jars to pick up from Hobohemia. This bootleg operation is planning to go mainstream this year, but for now you’ll have to hunt down the under-the-radar preserves.