…Pickle Me, Too!

Shel Silverstein once wrote a great poem about three adventurers, Ickle Me, Tickle Me and Pickle Me, setting off into the sky in what appears to be a battered high top sneaker. I loved that the tiny brothers were clinging to the shoe despite its peeling sole and raggedy laces. That's how I fell for pickles: rather than saying goodbye to my fresh produce, I can now cling stubbornly, preserving them forever for later forays into the kingdom of my appetite...or whatever.

You can pretty much pickle anything. I'm doing hard boiled eggs with beets (the color is lovely!), baby summer squash of all shapes and sizes, and a variety of cucumbers (white cukes, a "lemon" varity, the tan-skinned Poona Khera), all fresh from the Greenmarket. Beans, garlic and onion are all delicious, too. Here's a quick recipe, but remember, everything is "to taste"--don't be afraid to dip your finger in the brine and test the pickling produce as the days go by! I add enough liquids to cover my goodies, and I always do my soaking in a glass or plastic (non-metallic) bowl for a few nights in the fridge before I jar them. That way I can taste as I go along. The basic ratio is:

1 cup white vinegar

2 and 1/2 cups cold water

salt to taste (usually 2 tablespoons or more)

mix of pickling spices--whole peppercorns, dill, garlic or cloves and cinnamon sticks for sweet (beets, etc.) mixes.