The $64 Tomato

Recipes from the Garden
Leek Potato Soup Caprese Pasta Anne's Peach Pie Bread and Butter Pickles Anne's Applesauce Potato Apple Thyme Gratin	Aunt Teh's Bread and Butter Pickles
	"How many cucumbers can you eat over a two-week period? When you can’t consume all of it, you must store it, preserve it, or give it away." — The $64 Tomato
	This recipe for sweet pickles is from my sister-in-law’s Aunt Teh (which makes her my...uh...who knows). We’ve never used any other. The first attempt at canning can be intimidating. You have to keep everything sterile; you have to buy Mason jars, rings, lids, and large pot for sterilizing. But if you stick with it, pickling can be among the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do with your harvest. Note that pickles are much easier to can than peaches. This recipe will yield about six quarts of fantastic, crisp sweet pickles to eat with sandwiches year-round. Note: This recipe is not a lesson on canning. If you’ve never canned before, please read a canning book before proceeding so that you’re familiar with the aforementioned intimidating sterilization and canning techniques. Slice 25 to 30 6-inch cucumbers (we plant a small variety specifically intended for pickling) and 6 to 8 large onions on a mandoline or V-slicer about 3/16-inch thick. Slice 2 red peppers into thin strips. Combine the cucumbers, onions, and peppers with ½ cup of kosher or canning salt, let sit for 3 hours, and drain well. The salt will draw out a great deal of liquid. Combine 5 cups apple cider vinegar, 5 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons mustard seed, ½ teaspoon cloves, and 1 teaspoon turmeric in a large kettle and bring to a boil. Add drained cucumbers and heat thoroughly, until steaming. Do not let boil. Meanwhile, sterilize your jars, rings and lids. We sterilize the jars slightly ahead of time and keep the rings and lids in a saucepan of simmering (not boiling) water until we’re ready for them. Ladle the hot pickles into sterilized quart Mason jars, packing in as many cucumbers as you can fit. Ladle in liquid to within a quarter-inch from the top. Clean the top of the jar with a sterile cloth, top with a lid and twist on a ring. Immediately turn the jar upside side and place to the side. After 5 minutes or so, you can turn the jars right side up and wait for each lid to pop, indicating that you have a good seal. These pickles will keep in the pantry for months, but chill before serving.