Neighbor Bill stopped by yesterday with a boatload of pickling cucumbers and some fresh dill.
I've made six quarts of fermented pickles. I have at least one quart worth left and plan to make refrigerator pickles with those.
Bill adopted us about a dozen years ago. He had come here for some reason and spent some time talking to me. He later told me the whole neighborhood thought I'm mean. 😎 He told people that I'm not, I'm just "different". Translation; I am direct and sometimes terse. In other words, I am not the typically passive/aggressive Minnesotan. Even though I'm a Minnesotan. From then on Bill decided we needed looking after and took the job upon himself. I stopped growing peppers, green beans and....cucumbers. Except I planted seeds a friend sent me, but they aren't producing yet. Bill came back later in the afternoon with a gallon bag of slicing cucumbers. Mark is so happy! I have nothing I can give him. They don't like eggplant nor basil. I've offered both. I should ask about sage, my plant is large. I did tell him how to stuff a zucchini, he hadn't heard of that, so maybe they will try it.
Back to the pickles. My favorite pickle is the old style kosher dill, a fermented pickle. Put in highly saline water, using kosher salt, they sit out on the counter and ferment. How long depends on how sharp you want your pickles. I have left them in a dark room in the basement all winter and let me tell you, you pucker! Last year I refrigerated them after 7-10 days. I used to do a lot of fermenting. I think I stopped after my damaged brain convinced me I didn't need medication anymore and went off everything that was holding me together. I have realized I shouldn't be totally in charge of myself, but good luck trying to tell me something when my brain is tilted. Mark may say, and any other time, too. I'm back on my regulators for the past few months but I went several years in limbo. What a waste.
It's a crappy hot day with miserable humidity. I think many of us are repeating the same lament. I wonder what it will be a few years from now. Not good, I'm sure of that. Ok, Debbie Downer strikes again! May the day be a good one for all.
Ciao Bella Mia.
11 comments:
I used to make cucumber pickles, refrigerator ones. Quite sharp enough!
Boud, I just used the last of them to make a quart of refrigerator pickles. They are ready to use in 24 hrs. I like a sharp pickle but the last couple of jars when I kept them in the basement were a little much even for me!
I used to make a recipe called Russian Dills, so good, vinegar, water and sugar and of course dill and a bit of onion. Now I am hungry for them:)
Far Side that's pretty much what the refrigerator pickles are. They are easy to make, which you know, so .... :)
HA! We just made 32 quarts of dill pickles today. Great minds!!!!
I love pickles but did not like making them very much when I was a kid.
My Grandmother made the ones I set all standards by.
I'm glad you are in a better place. Yes, the day was so hot and muggy and...yuck.
I'm so glad that Bill has adopted you guys.
I'm probably less direct than I should be but that is because my mom was so darned direct? :) I don't know.
We have flood watches out for tonight and it hasn't even started to rain yet!
Do you can them after they reach the zingy-ness that you want or just put them in the fridge?
Lori, I cannot even imagine!
Val, I'm glad Bill adopted us, too. I grew up with an abusive mother. You come out of that withdrawn or not taking crap.
We got some rain yesterday. I grateful for that.
julochka, I put them in the refrigerator but I don't see why they couldn't be canned.
Lori, you have more energy than I have!
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