Refrigerator Pickles

Day 287: Got veg? Let's make refrigerator pickles! I don't know how I've lived all these years without coming across this simple way to pickle almost any vegetable without canning or a lengthy period of soaking in brine. Refrigerator pickles are quick to make, and quick to be gobbled up. They can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, but trust me, they won't last that long.

You'll need a couple of clean quart jars with lids for this recipe. They don't need to be sterilized. And of course you'll need veg. You can use cauliflower, cucumber, onion, carrots, broccoli, peppers...just about any firm vegetable. Cut or break them into bite-sized pieces. Cucumbers and carrots should be cut into slices no more than 1/4" thick.

First make the brine and allow it to cool to room temp. For this, combine
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp mustard seed    
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp kosher salt
a few red chili flakes if desired

Bring the brine to a boil, then remove it from the stove and allow it to cool. Meanwhile, pack the raw veg into the jars. Fit them in fairly snugly, but don't press them down too hard. When the brine is cool, pour it over the veg, being sure that they're completely covered. Put the lids on the jars, stick them in the fridge and...hard part here!...wait 3-4 days before eating them. Feel free to change up the spices to suit your own tastes. If you'd like to make smaller or larger batches, just reduce or increase the amount of brine, keeping the proportions the same.

A Taste Of Summer

Day 118: For several months now, I've been digging into the foods I put by from the garden, savouring each little taste of summer. Ten pints of frozen raspberries are gone, the last of them nibbled to keep a sore throat at bay. The last jar of canned plums is chilling in the fridge, and while I still have a dozen pints of apple chunks, I got a surprise when I pulled out a jar and discovered it was actually pears. Likewise, going through the freezer, I unearthed a cup of blueberries this morning, just enough for a batch of muffins. Only a handful of dried tomatoes remain to augment vegetable soup. With Snowpocalypse just now beginning outside my windows, summer reigns in my kitchen.

The Great Kiwi Harvest And Other News

Day 346: Well, there you have it: the Great Hardy Kiwi Harvest of 2018. Squirrels or raccoons ate all the rest while they were still quite small, but at least I got a sample. Older and wiser, I will booby-trap the vines next year. But with nights turning colder, the bounty from the remainder of the garden must now be put by for winter, and to that end, I've been experimenting with dehydrating various fruits and veg. Sungold cherry tomatoes dried very well at a temperature of 115 degrees, and I have a second batch going even as we speak. They will be wonderful in soups and on pizza. Yesterday's projects included making raisins from my Interlaken grapes, but the recipe's suggested time of 15-36 hours crisped them around the edges and they're not as tender as I'd like. (A friend suggested soaking them in rum to soften them up...I like the way she thinks!) Reducing the time to 10-12 hours will give a better product, and there are plenty more grapes to come. I also made salted chips from a crookneck squash. The dehydrating process concentrated the squash flavour in flexible strips with a texture reminiscent of dried apple slices. Today, I'm inventing, adding my own touch to the recipe using pieces of patty-pan squash dipped in thinned Thai red curry paste. No question, they will be delicious! I also picked enough mint for a batch of mint jelly, and the infusion is cooling even as I write, and I'll finish the jelly later today.

Drop Of Golden Sun

Day 338: They say hindsight is clearer than foresight. In other words, "Why didn't I think of this last year?" As I was eating dinner a few nights ago (Hamburger Helper Beef Pasta), it seemed rather more bland than usual and I thought, "Needs some tomato sauce or something to tangy it up. Wish I had some sun-dried tomatoes." Still not up to speed and too lazy to get up for the Worcestershire sauce, I gulped down the food with my usual "I don't care what I eat as long as I get it over with quick" attitude and then went back to my projects. Then, while working at the Park's booth at the Washington State Fair, a visitor engaged me in a lengthy conversation which somehow circulated around to preserving Nature's bounty for winter consumption. She mentioned dehydrating, and a cartoon lightbulb, fully illuminated, appeared over my head. "Oh, brilliant!" I shouted, startling her. "Now I know what to do with my surfeit of tomatoes!" Since I'd just given Kevin a bagful, I had to wait a couple of days before more Sungolds were ready to pick. I sliced them at roughly 1/4" thick, put them in the dehydrator overnight at 115 degrees (the temp suggested by the visitor). They weren't quite dry by morning, but another two hours did the trick. Now if I can just stop eating them like potato chips, I might have a few to perk up those bland winter meals.