The Pickled Fish Martha Stewart Loves As A Late-Night Snack

Martha Stewart, the lifestyle maven and my favorite domestic diva, has a hankering for a late-night snack that may surprise you: pickled herring. This savory (and stinky) delicacy, overlooked by most Americans, offers a glimpse into Stewart's diverse palate and appreciation for old-school flavors.

In an interview with Town & Country magazine, Stewart candidly shared her fondness for pickled herring as a bedtime treat, saying, "I eat pickled herring as a late-night snack before I go to bed because it's savory and good." Beyond smelly fish, her late-night cravings also include liverwurst and even the occasional slice of processed American cheese, showcasing her eclectic taste preferences. Clearly, Stewart is nothing if not a woman of the world.

To understand this choice, it helps to understand Stewart. Born Martha Kostyra to a Polish-American family in New Jersey, Stewart's culinary roots run deep into Eastern European soil. Her mother, "Big Martha," was a skilled home cook who preserved, pickled, and fermented long before it became trendy. Stewart has often spoken fondly of those formative flavors: sour cream-laced cabbage, onion sandwiches, and, yes, herring, often pickled or creamed and served during holidays.

For many Polish households, pickled herring is more than just a snack; it's a ritual. Traditionally eaten around Christmas or New Year's Eve (and often believed to bring good luck), herring preserved in vinegar or sour cream is a staple.

To the uninitiated, stinky fish might seem like an unlikely late-night treat, but herring has long been revered around the world for its complex interplay of brine, fat, and acid. The fish is first salt-cured, then submerged in a vinegar-based marinade with aromatics like onions, bay leaves, and allspice. The result is a firm yet delicate texture and a flavor that's equal parts salty, sour, and slightly sweet. It's often served with boiled potatoes and sour cream, or as part of a true Scandinavian smorgasbord. 

Pickled herring isn't just another trendy tinned fish. It's packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and selenium. Fish is also one of Stewart's favorite foods, which is probably why she loves Japan out of all the countries she's ever visited. 

Of course, leave it to Stewart to make this pungent and polarizing snack seem chic. One imagines her enjoying it not with a plastic fork, but plated beautifully with rye toast and dill on the side, and a smear of her favorite unsalted butter.

The next time you're prowling your fridge after dark, consider skipping the cookie jar. Channel your inner Martha and try some incredible canned fish instead of empty carbs. What makes the doyenne of domesticity's snack so endearing is that it shows us that the best eats often aren't the flashiest. Sometimes, the truest luxury is a nostalgic bite that tastes like Mom's home cooking.