A family tradition

[vaneramos]

I have the day off and was just now searching for seasonal cookie recipes when I found something else, my great grandmother's sweet pickle recipe. Mom remembered being sent to fish cupfuls of them out of a big barrel in her grandmother's basement. Dommy lived a very long time but in my memory was too frail to put food by. Fortunately Mom followed the recipe and canned a few quarts every summer, along with peaches and various jams. This is the heart of my impulse to preserve.

I've made these pickles a few times, but after Mom died I couldn't find the recipe. I found a similar recipe in a pickling book, but they didn't turn out right. The past four summers I've searched in vain. Apparently the method had departed with her.

Today it turned up between hazelnut shortbread and chocolate almond cookies. I must have requested this copy later on. At the bottom Mom wrote, "Make these as long as you can, Van, and keep a family tradition alive. Love, Mom. Oct. 27/06."

Next summer I will.

Dommy's Nine Day Pickles

4 quarts cucumbers cut in 1/2" slices
Put in brine (1 c. salt to 1 gal. water)
Leave for 3 days. Drain.
Soak in clear water for 3 days. Drain.
Simmer in weak vinegar for 2 or 3 hours with a piece of alum the size of a walnut. Drain.
Syrup:

• 4 lbs. white sugar
• 2 pts. of cider vinegar
• 1 oz. celery seed
• 1 oz. cinnamon bark
• 1 oz. whole allspice

Heat these ingredients to boiling and pour over drained pickles.
Drain, reserving syrup, and repeat 2nd and 3rd day.
Put into jars, on the ninth day.

Comments

[devin101.livejournal.com]

What a great find!

[apel.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's sweet!