Pickling Day

I know for certain I imprinted on my mother as surely as a mallard chick imprints on Mama Duck.  I can envision how it must have happened some 50 years ago.  My dad had waited patiently for hours as I took my sweet time coming into the world.  Finally, the doctor sent him away to get some lunch, assuring him it would be awhile.  But while he was away, things began to happen rather quickly and I made my entrance.  My mom says back in 1960 they anesthetized the mother so completely she just woke up and was handed a baby, somewhat unsure of how it all came to be.  My mother may have been a little woozy when she was handed her first born daughter, but I am sure I was wide awake when they put me in her arms.  I can imagine that when I looked into her face, all the synapses fell into place.  Something must have been birthed in me at that instant that would compel me to follow her, watch her, learn from her and begin to develop an affinity for all the things she did and loved.  As soon as I was old enough to stand, my favorite place to be was on a chair beside her in the kitchen watching her cook.  Or in a chair behind her with my hands on her shoulders as she sat at the sewing machine.  I loved all her "motherly" pursuits and began to putter alongside her as soon as I was able.

Fifty years later we are still puttering side by side.  Today, it is pickling day.  I bought a big sack of cucumbers at Allegri Farm Market before I left Baldwin County, thoughts straining ahead anticipating the aroma of warm sugared vinegar spiced with cloves and allspice and cinnamon that would soon fill my mother's homey kitchen. She makes what she calls "Summer Crisps" about this time every year, a small batch recipe for refrigeration.  I simply adore eating them with sandwiches or burgers, and truth be told, I am most happy to lob them onto my plate as if they are a side dish unto themselves.  Needless to say, a quart or two won't last very long with my appetite for this sweet sour concoction.


And just as I love sweet sour pickles, Paul put in his request for a kosher dill version.  And to help things along, he found a recipe with his name on it in this month's Men's Health Magazine.  So now we have three quarts of pickles beautifully made, just waiting on a taste test.  Unfortunately, they have to mellow in the brine for awhile before we can issue our report.  The Summer Crisps are tried and true, but the dill pickles will have to be duly sampled before we can declare them a part of our regular repertoire.  Tonight, I offer these recipes and pictures for your perusal.  Check back tomorrow to hear whether or not they are an unqualified success!

Quarts 1 and 2 are Summer Crisps; on the far right are the Dill Pickles

Cucumbers in salt and ice bath

Summer Cucumber Crisps
12 pickling cucumbers or 7-8 regular cucumbers
1/1/2 Tbs. table salt
1 pint white vinegar
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. whole cloves
2 Tbs. whole allspice
2 bay leaves
2 sticks cinnamon
2 Tbs. celery seed
1 Tbs. peppercorns
1 tsp. ground ginger


1.  Thinly slice cucumbers and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss with some ice.  Cover with water and allow to soak for about an hour.  Drain. 
2.  Combine all other ingredients (vinegar through ginger) in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cool and strain.
3.  Pack sterilized jars with cucumbers (makes about 1-1/2 quarts.)  Cover with strained marinade.  Let stand for an hour and refrigerate.  READY TO EAT!!

Note:  After an afternoon of pickling on Meatless Monday, we found ourselves starving at about 8:00 pm and loathe to heat up the kitchen again.  Served alongside egg salad sandwiches, these were perfection!

Basic Quick Dill Pickles 
6-8 pickling cucumbers, cut in quarters lengthwise
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups white vinegar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tbs. Kosher salt
1-1/2 Tbs. sugar
1-1/2 Tbs. pickling spice
15 peppercorns
5 sprigs dill


1.  Place cucumbers in a bowl sprinkled with salt.  Add some ice and cover with water.  Let stand for an hour and drain.  Pack cucumbers into a sterilized quart jar.  
2.  Put next 6 ingredients (vinegar through peppercorns) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
3.  Pour over cucumbers.  Add dill sprigs, pushing down into jar.
5.  Let cucumbers come to room temperature and refrigerate 24 hours before serving.


Note:  I will add an update tomorrow night with a taste test report on the dill pickles.


Update:  I had one of the kosher dills after breakfast this morning.  Although not the best time to stick your hand in the pickle jar, I couldn't wait any longer to taste.  These are quite good!  Very crunchy and garlicky and dilly.  Just bought more cucumbers at the market to make another batch.