Accomplishments

There are few things that I do that have an immediate product - teaching is a long term proposition, research has an even longer timeline.

But today I accomplished something tangible.

It was supposed to happen last Saturday but my supplier screwed up.

Today I created 21 jars of pickles.

I use my mother's recipe - which was her mother's recipe and probably goes back generations.

Evidently it is also the recipe that can cause people to get sick.




Here it is:

1. Dissolve a tablespoon of kosher salt in a cup of water
2. In the bottom of a litre canning jar put a bay leaf, a sprig of dill and a clove of garlic.
3. Fill the jar with small pickling cucumbers as tight as possible
4. Squeeze 3 or 4 more cloves of garlic in the nook and crannies
5. On top of the cucumbers put another bay leaf, another clove of garlic, another sprig of Dill and a tablespoon of pickling spices.
6. Stir the cup of salt water and pour it over the cucumbers and spices.
7. Top up the jar with water
8. Use a rubber sealer and fingertip tighten the top.
9. The pickles are ready in a month
10. Keep the opened jars in the fridge and the sealed jars in a cool place.

Please be careful. You must be scrupulously clean. The cucumbers must be absolutely clean. The jars and tops must be sterilized.

If you do all of this you will have the best tasting pickles!