Ahhhh! Cucumbers are in season!!! Been buying them at my small local farmer’s market for $1.50 per pound. Yes, I know they aren’t organic, but I soak ‘em in vegetable wash. I can’t be picky during COVID-19 times.
I’m not allowed to pick the cucumbers I want. The vendor picks them for you. I asked for the smaller ones and he did a pretty good job. BTW, this vendor always has a line. a long line every Saturday morning. I go early and there is always already a line. Why? Great produce and prices compared to the other vendors.
With all those cucumbers I had one thing in mine and that was pickles. Not feeling like canning as it’s a lot of work. You have to boil everything. If only I had a dishwasher! You can run the jars through the dishwasher as it’s hot enough to clean. (Who knew? Maybe in my next life when I buy a turn key place, right?)
After cleaning the jars, filling them with brine the next step is the water bath. Where as I always have two pots going with boiling water. On a hot day it’s murder with no AC.
My little sister turned me on to this recipe from cooks. com
3-4 lbs. cucumbers
3 c. vinegar
3 c. sugar
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tbsp. coarse salt
garlic buds
1 or 2 onions
Slice onions and pickles thin. Heat vinegar to dissolve sugar. Stir in spices. Store in refrigerator.
How easy is that? I haven’t used this recipe in a while and was surprised to see the amount of sugar. It also says nothing about salting the pickles first, then rinse off. I didn’t do that. Then I’m thinking about what Happy Girl said in a pickle class I took years ago in Oakland. You are using “real estate” if you are using your refrigerator. He is so right on the money. I don’t have a lot of space, but will tuff it out as it’s e a s y! I’m gonna let ‘em set up a couple of days, serve them with cheese and crackers for Happy Hour. Cheers!
Weir Talk 