It's pickle season!
I picked up five pounds of beautiful little cucumbers and prepared for my first foray into the ambrosia of the gods - the deli style dill.
Step One: get yourself a nice bucket. Shown is my brand new gigantic bucket. In the background you can see my other new bucket. I have a deep love for buckets.
Step Two: prep the cucumbers. I gave them a nice cold water soak and scraped off any lingering blossoms.
Step Three: add the spices. I used garlic (tons), dill seeds (tons), peppercorns (some) and wild grape leaves (the tannins in them keep the pickles crunchy).
Step Four: add yer cukes and brine. I made a fairly salty brine of 3 tbs pickling salt per every quart of water.
Step Five: add the plate and weight. I use a dinner plate to keep the cukes under the water and a glass growler full of water to weigh the whole thing down.
Step Six: "the waiting is the hardest part" - Tom Petty
Cover the whole thing with a towel and resist the urge to check on them every couple of hours to see if they are pickles yet.
After a week or so the feasting can begin. For those playing along at home, the recipe is from Wild Fermentation, my favorite cookbook, and can be found here: Making Sour Pickles
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