The other day we ate the last slice of pickle out of our store-bought jar. Put pickles on grocery list, I thought. Then another thought occurred to me, No, stupid. Make pickles!
In the greenhouse I found two beauties waiting to be picked. I need about four to make a full batch, so guess what I did... That's right, I made a half batch! Can't put one over on you.
Aren't they pretty? And that home-grown onion is really a beauty. Mighty fine cucumbers, too, I might add.
The rest of the ingredients are brought to a boil and stirred until the sugar dissolves (still humming the Jimmy Buffet song, of course).
One less thing to buy at the store. Organic veg, re-purposed jars, and about as locally produced as it gets. Tasty, too!
Last year I waited until we were overwhelmed with cucumbers before I started making pickles, but I said I wasn't going to wait so long this year. And with the pickle jar empty, what better time than the present?
In the greenhouse I found two beauties waiting to be picked. I need about four to make a full batch, so guess what I did... That's right, I made a half batch! Can't put one over on you.
While out in the garden I collected my other ingredients, an onion and some dill crowns.
Is that what they're called in English? I never knew of this seedy top to the dill plant when I lived in the States, so I only know their Swedish name (which translates "dill crown"). Bear with me, folks.
Aren't they pretty? And that home-grown onion is really a beauty. Mighty fine cucumbers, too, I might add.
Besides what I gathered from the garden, I needed ättika (a very strong vinegar), whole white pepper, mustard seed, sugar, clean jars, and a mandoline. Now of course you can cut your cucumbers with any old knife, but I prefer to use a mandoline; because there's somethin so feminine about a mandoline... Jimmy Buffet fans will know what I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure he was singing about the musical instrument, not the cutting tool, but that doesn't stop me from singing the song every time I get it out.
So I sliced the cucumbers and packed them into jars: a big one for the family and small ones to give away (or to pour in our big jar as it gets low).
The rest of the ingredients are brought to a boil and stirred until the sugar dissolves (still humming the Jimmy Buffet song, of course).
Last minute decision to replace the onion with some fresh horseradish. The seasonings are optional. One picks their favorites, and I love horseradish. Pour the liquid warm over the sliced cucumbers, and you're done!
One less thing to buy at the store. Organic veg, re-purposed jars, and about as locally produced as it gets. Tasty, too!
