Friday, July 29, 2011

pickles!


Apologies for the poor quality, I only had my phone handy, picture.  This is what 9 pounds of cucumbers looks like.  I guess I'll be spending the day making pickles (which I already did last week too).  Note to self, plant fewer cukes next year.  Off to Agway to buy more canning jars....

9 comments:

  1. I love homemade pickles! The possibilities are endless.

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  2. I agree, I made a huge batch of bread and butter pickles. I think there are going to be several more barbecues needed at our house this summer!

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  3. I love your blog Shira. Your pictures of tomato diseases did much to allay my fears of another year of blight...

    Here is a delicious refrigerator pickle recipe that will have you out of the kitchen in no time. They are ready in 7 days and we think they are wonderful. They keep for 6-8 months:

    Crispy Refrigerator Pickles ( no cook-no canning type)

    1 tsp. Turmeric
    1 tsp. Mustard Seed
    1 tsp. Celery Seed
    1 tsp Alum
    ¼ tsp. dried dill (I use fresh dill sprigs if I have them growing in the garden)

    3 cups white vinegar
    3-1/2 cups sugar
    1/4 cup canning salt (I use kosher salt)
    1+ cloves garlic (optional)

    Thinly sliced onion
    Thinly sliced cucumbers

    Note: You can use a 1-gallon jar or a huge plastic zip-lock container for these. However, you can also use quart canning jars or even pint canning jars.

    Pack jar(s) with thinly sliced raw onions and cucumbers.

    Mix together spices with vinegar, sugar, salt and garlic. Make sure that sugar & salt are completely dissolved in vinegar.

    Pour liquid mixture over cucumbers & onions and keep jars in the refrigerator for 7 days before using. Shake the containers of pickles daily for the 7 days before using.

    Pickles will keep in the fridge for at least 6 months!

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe - It's very similar to the one that I use, except I'm addicted to adding pickling spice from Penzey's - it smells/tastes so good!

    I'm glad the tomato pictures were helpful for you :)

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  5. Hi Shira,
    Can you post your recipe!?
    Thanks
    Barbara Bosill

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  6. Surely... This is the easiest, and still my most favorite...

    Reprinted from Alton Brown
    1/2 onion thinly sliced
    2 medium cucumbers thinly sliced
    1 cup water
    1 cup cider vinegar
    1 1/2 cups sugar
    pinch of kosher salt
    1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    1/2 tsp turmeric
    1/2 tsp celery seeds
    1/2 tsp pickling splice

    Combine onion and cucumber slices in a clean spring top jar.

    Combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 full minutes to wake up the flavors of the spices.

    Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the onion and cucumber slices, completely filling the jar. Allow the pickles to cool to room temperature before topping off with any remaining pickling liquid. Refrigerate.

    Enjoy! Hope you are all well!

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  7. THANK YOU! We're off to Penzey's this weekend
    LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!

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  8. Saturday was "pickling day" on Perry Ave. 8 quarts are sitting in my fridge!

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