Monday, August 31, 2009

AWASH IN PICKLES

In my whole life, I have not eaten any pickle that wasn't made by my mother.

It's the kind of pickle that is very sweet; you can't buy them in the store.


When I eat them, I often think of my mother's work for us, and I notice each slice as if her hands cut it just today.  We treat them like gold.
 
This year it was my turn to make the pickles.  I spent a lot of time with my mother, in order to decipher the old and simple family recipe--learning, for example, what exactly "two hands of salt" means.  Even so, I had to keep calling her for more details during the week-long process.

First I had to figure out where to buy the large amounts of spices, and also what kind and how many cucumbers to buy.


Then they had to sit in the crock for several days ("STIR THE BRINE UP GOOD WITH YOUR ARM EACH DAY").


On the Big Day, I had to boil them in THIS; pour off.  Boil them in THAT; pour off.  Boil them again, and finally, put them in jars.


There are enough for my family, my parents, and my brother's family--just like Mom makes.  But it remains to be seen whether or not they TASTE the same.

 


9 comments:

  1. I made pickles once. My family did not like them, though I did. A friend of ours liked them, though....so, he was blessed with most of my pickles. I'll keep buying mine. Too much work for the fam to not be thrilled!

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  2. @i_was_there_and_back_again - Yes, it IS a lot of work!  Makes me reluctant to give any to my brother!    Now I appreciate my mother's work so much more.

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  3. Congratulations!  Quite a chore. I was almost thankful when Glenn told me our tomato crop was going to be tiny this year because of a fungus or something.  Shhh . . . don't tell anybody!By the way, I'm setting up those books at the church this morning with a note on the white board about them. I hope they're a blessing to your attendees! We'll pick them up again on Thursday, probably, after the study center families have a go at them.

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  4. Wow! The whole batch in the crock looks beautiful.  :)

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  5. Wow, I am impressed!! They look yummy!

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  6. Wow!  I don't think I would be up to that--although I love pickles!  It seems a huge job sometimes just to blanch beans to freeze!My husband made green tomato chutney last year though--I had to help with the canning.  We survived--although got to bed about midnight that night, and the chutney was very good!

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  7. Now, chutney REALLY sounds like a job!  Congrats to you!

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  8. Wonderful lot of pickles . For a try you have succeeded a masterwork .Janine , my wife , made " pickles " with gerkhins and not comcombers . She put them , raw , in the vinegar( white vinegar ) in a glass jar with a branch of thyme and that is all . .Love Michelps : I cannot wait to see the photo of your brother and you in front of the shool bus .

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  9. Mistake : please read gherkins .Thanks

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