Sweet Pickles

[loki]

Well, we were starting seeds for the garden this past weekend and my 6 yr
old granddaughter is just fascinated with the idea of making pickles from
cucumbers. <laugh>

I've never made pickles at all much less the little sweet gherkins she
prefers. I know you'd have to pick them awfully early but that's about it.
Also the pickle recipes I find for sweet pickles don't take into
consideration the tiny size of these things - they're all for larger
pickles.

Does anyone here have a really foolproof recipe and advice to help me out?
I don't have room for anything that needs refrigeration until after it's
opened.

Yes, I know I have months to get ready, but my life is planned at least 6
months in advance due to work considerations. Still, I *must* have time for
my garden and household projects!

Thanks!
Loki

[JonquilJan]

Select a variety that will grow the very small pickling cucumbers. Not all
cucumbers are best for pickles and different varieties are best for
different types of pickles. Call your county cooperative extension office
for a good receipe. They seem to have everything and, if not right at hand,
they get it for you - and its FREE. They can probably tell you the best
varieity for what you want as well.

JonquilJan

--

Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying
loki <lo...@inlink.com> wrote in message
news:MP_q4.1615$l06.1...@news1.primary.net...

[loki]

Unfortunately, I've tried that. I do have the right varieties of cukes but
the problem is that all of the darned sweet pickles recipes call for cukes
that are 4-5 inches long and then you slice them! The kid wants the little
*whole* pickles. You know, about 2 inches long and pickled whole.
<sigh>

Loki

JonquilJan <war...@imcnet.net> wrote

[Kacey Barriss]

Sounds as though sweet gherkins are what you're looking for. Try this recipe -
it's from the Ball Blue Book

Sweet Gherkin Pickles

8 lbs 1.5 - 2.5" cucumbers
0.5 C canning salt, divided
8 C sugar, divided
6 C vinegar, divided
0.5 tsp turmeric
2 tsps celery seed
2 tsps whole mixed pickling spice
2 sticks cinnamon
0.5 tsp whole allspice

Wash cucumbers. Combine 6 qts boiling water and 0.25 C salt; pour over
cucumbers. Let stand 6-8 hours or overnight. On second day, drain. Combine 6
qts boiling water and 0.25 C salt; pour over cucumbers. Let stand overnight.
On the third day, drain. Prick cucumbers with a fork. COmbine 3 C sugar, 3 C
vinegar and turmeric in a large saucepot. Tie whole spices in a spice bag; add
spice bag to syrup; bring to a boil.. Pour hot syrup over cucumbers; let stand
6-8 hours. Drain cucumbers, reserving syrup.

Add 2 C sugar and 2 C vinegar to syrup; bring to a boil; pour over cucumbers.
Let stand overnight. On fourth day, drain, reserving syrup. Add 2 C sugar and
1 C vinegar to reserved syrup; bring to a boil; pour over cucumbers. Let stand
6-8 hours. Remove spice bag. Drain cucumbers, reserving syrup. Add 1 C sugar
to syrup; bring to a boil.. Pack pickles into hot jars, leaving 0.25"
headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid over cucumbers. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boing-water canner.
Yield: about 7 pints.

Kacey