In the excerpt, the word "pungent" refers to the pickles' aroma. Pungent is a word to describe a very strong smell, very sharp and biting. So when Untermeyer used the word pungent to refer to the pickles, he was talking about their aroma, which is a fancy way to say smell.
Elderly people really worked hard during their youth to build the civilization we know today. In fact, some mistakes can be made during this work, but the elderly work was done with good intentions and with a lot of effort, which means that during old age they have the right to rest, respect and honors.
