Has your sweet tooth been overwhelmed by the holidays?

Here’s a nice antidote: A jar of spicy dill pickles made by the folks at Maine Homestead, an artisan food business based in Arundel.

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John Patriquin/Staff Photographer

The label on the 16-ounce jar ($7 at mainehomesteadfarm.com, $7.99 at the store where I bought mine) says the ingredients are cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, garlic, peppers, salt, dill and spices. The sugar isn’t overdone. There’s just enough to balance the tartness of the vinegar. Best of all, these pickles have a big, spicy kick – but not so big that it should scare away people who don’t like spicy things. Too many pickles are just vinegary; these are different enough that you’ll find yourself reaching for the jar again sooner than you expected.

Maine Homestead makes a variety of other products that could help bring a bit of summer back to your kitchen this winter. There’s spicy dill asparagus, and a sweet relish made with summer squash that’s next on my list to try. Their line of jams and jellies includes an apple pie jam.