Meditation on Pickling
The jars are processing–10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Already, my mind and body and hands start something else.
Last night I gathered cucumbers and onion and mason jars and spices from three different stores. I left a bottle of cheap champagne on ice–prepping the pickles in lieu of attending a party. Thinking, and acting on the impulse to be quiet and alone.
Prep time was an hour of slicing thinly cucumbers and red peppers and Spanish onions. I take a break during the onions, since my eyes are on fire and these things can’t be rushed.
This morning, I follow the recipe my grandmother typed so many years ago (for friends, with love). The paper, aged with decades and smoke is made timeless with her handwritten notes. These corrections and helpful hints could have been written any 15 or 20 or 25 or more years ago.
Living in an age of instant gratification, I’m still surprised if I follow the recipe correctly, I’ll be rewarded with the correct results. 8-9 pints (9 pints), as predicted, with no cucumber or vinegar going unused.
Mmm, homemade pickles… yum. I love those old recipes – we have a lot of them too.
The pickles are delicious Wendy – a very good batch!!
Glad you like them! I used smoked serrano peppers from the fantastic spice shop by my house.
Great post thanks. I really enjoyed it very much.
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Need another jar, if you can spare!!!!!