To my dearest readers,
Preserving summer produce III will be the last preserving tip for this season. I hope you all benefited from all the preserving methods we discussed so far. Part III will be about pickling.
Nowadays the cucumbers and peppers that are available are produced naturally under direct sunshine, resulting in a produce that is durable and worth pickling. Growing cucumbers when not in season happens in greenhouses, which means their shelf life will be shorter because of all the chemicals. Therefore, pickling them now, when in season, will last all winter.
Pickling cucumbers:
Start off with a firm and organic product that you will find in your local market or your vegetable garden. You will need:
Method:
Wash the cucumbers and soak them in cold water for a couple of hours. Slice the garlic. Wash and dry your jars so that you are ready to start pickling. In a pot, boil the water, vinegar, and salt. Boiling the brine (mixture of salt, water, and vinegar) is the key to a successful pickling method. Let the brine cool. Drop the garlic slices and peppers in the bottom of the jar. Arrange the cucumbers vertically in a consistent and neat manner. Cover the jar with brine till the brim and all cucumbers are completely immersed in the liquid. Close your jar firmly with its lid. Do one more additional step and turn the jar upside down, over a clean kitchen towel and let rest overnight. Following the above steps will guarantee your pickles will last for a whole year.
Jalapeno or green hot peppers:
Start off by wearing gloves, because you are working with pepper now and you don’t want that spice on your hands. Cut your pepper into slices and leave the seeds in if you prefer them spicy, otherwise, discard the seeds. You will need:
P.s: slice your jalapenos, as for the green peppers, leave them as whole.
Method:
At the bottom of the jar, add all the spices with the garlic. Place the sliced jalapeno or peppers in. Boil the brine: (vinegar, water, salt, and sugar) for 5 minutes. Let it cool before you use it. Fill your jars, cover them, and turn them upside down, the same way we did the cucumbers above.
Everyone you meet will know something you don’t. This is how we keep learning. I learned from an elderly lady, not long ago, that boiling your brine is the key to a successful pickle, as this will ensure that the water you are using has no bacteria. What damages your pickles is when the water has some bacteria in it.
I also usually make a mixture of pickled veggies, which is perfect to serve with a drink or as a nibble. Its mixture of colors makes it very appetizing. The veggies that I like to pickle are the following: (slice all into bite sizes)
For this mixture use the sweet and sour brine that we used for the peppers.
If you are not a working women, and if someone asks, “what do you do?” never reply, “housewife.” Remember, you are not married to a house! Reply, “Queen of house.” and make that your status.
Essential tip*: Always boil you brine, and as grandma used to say, never pickle when you are on your menses.
Enjoy your pickling. With love, Jahna.
