Brining cucumbers.

I have really been feeling good about all of my food-based projects. I enjoy all of the researchand experimentation I have been doing - and with resources like:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html

and

http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0560e/x0560e00.htm,

I am learning so much.

Time to try pickles. In my research I have found that there are many different pickling recipes out there. There are the traditional fermented cucumber in a ten percent brine solution. Then there are the "easy" recipes - basically, cucumbers in a jar with vinegar solutions. There are also the transitional recipes that mix traditional brining fermentation with jarring in vinegar solutions.

I, being most interested in traditional methods, chose to try fermenting/brining. Brining preserves food by anaerobic fermentation, which, by producing lactic acid, achieves the correct pH to destroy toxic bacteria. Sounds fun.

Starting with an antique crock that I recently ran across at an antique store. I paid about $40, which I thought was very reasonably price considering the condition of the glaze (crack free). When I got home and some quick research told me that Love Field Potteries in Dallas, Texas went out of business in 1948. Neat.

Test fitted with a cake pan.

I poured in a gallon of water and placed an egg in it. The egg, as I learned, is an easy measure of salinity - stir in your pickling salt and when the egg floats to the top the ratio is right (do not forget to remove the egg).

Then I put my fresh, washed baby cucumbers and placed a perfect-fitting pyrex baking dish lid on top of the cukes (upside-down to avoid air bubbles) to keep them below the surface. A weight might be needed to help hold them down. I used a bowl with some water in it.

To lid the crock, I used my handled pie dish and then tied it all up in an old flour sack to keep out dust and bugs. I tucked it way away, back in a low linen closet.

The day after I started, I added about a cup of salt to help maintatin the correct salinity.

Every few days I check the cukes for scum. While it forms naturally on the surface of the solution during the process, scum destroys the acidity that you are trying to maintain during the fermentation process and, if left unchecked, results in cucumber spoilage. And we certainly do not want that.

Now, we wait.

jon.

Pickled jalapeños.

Saturday morning I woke up early (considering the night before), and I took my friend Erika (and my hangover) to Froberg's farm. It was her first visit and I did my best to show her around. She took lots of photographs and will likely have something to say about the experience soon - she has in mind that this is the beginning of "Farm Tour," which I am totally in for.

While we were there, I picked up more strawberries, okra, eggs, and - you guessed it - jalapeños. They looked so good; Erika caught me lingering and suggested that I might could pickle some. Sold.

I did not have a specific pickled jalapeños recipe so I started with a generic recipe of water, vinegar, and salt. I added some of my pickling spice mixture and some sugar to (maybe) soften the burn a touch.

Pickled jalapeños:

1 pounds fresh jalapeños.

3 cups white vinegar.

3 cups water.

3 tablespoons kosher salt.

3 tablespoons raw turbinado sugar.

3 tablespoons pickling spice.

4 crushed cloves of garlic.

Start by piercing each pepper with a fork several times - this will allow the pickling juices to get inside and the hot to get out.

In a medium saucepan, bring to boil your vinegar and water with the rest of the ingredients. Reduce and simmer for five minutes.

Pack the jalapeños into your sterilized jars - I only managed about five peppers per pint jar.

Pour the vinegar solution into each jar - dividing the bay leaves and garlic - leaving an inch of headspace.

Lid the (clean-rimmed) jars and process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes. Let sit for at least a week for maximum seasoning.

The sugar darkened the vinegar more that usual which makes for a dramatic looking jar of peppers.

My mouth is watering over these already. That is all.

jon.

I got big plans. Big.

Jars and jars.

After last weekends trip to the farm and the reminder of just how much I love jarred goods, I began thinking about making my own pickles and preserves. I started researching how-tos and materials and there are so many great resources out there. Even the USDA pitched in:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

Then, I glanced through my older cookbooks and found that I already had plenty of recipes I could try. Well, I really sold myself the idea, so yesterday I bought some jars, and a lot of white vinegar, and pickling salts, etc.

Saturday, I plan to wake up early and head out to the farm to get the best selection and maybe just rely on that to dictate what I end up making.

I am thinking/hoping:

Dill Pickles (of course).

Spicy Pickled Okra.

Pickled Eggs with Beets (Yes, eggs).

Strawberry Preserves.

...or Raspberry.

Peach Something.

I know what you are thinking, "What are you going to do with all that stuff?" Well I intend to start small, keeping some for myself of course, but I think I could sell some to friends and family - and maybe people I do not know yet...

Go cottage industry! That is all.

jon.