And I have been making my own since last summer! These are "quick pickles" so they are not canned in a formal way. It's super easy. Luckily at the international grocery, there were pickling cucumbers, but small persian ones work too. This was 4 cucumbers.
Recipe:
4 medium pickling cucumbers
1 cup distilled vinegar
1 cup water
1 T salt
4 garlic cloves split in half
fresh dill (I'm sure any dried herbs work too)
4 whole peppercorns (not necessary)
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seed (but not necessary)
Optional add-ins:
hot peppers
whole coriander seeds
anything you like--other veggies even
Mix the vinegar, water, and salt together to make a brine. Put all the spices/flavorings in the bottom of the jar, then put in all the cut up cucumbers. Top and put in fridge.
Within a day, you have great tasting pickles. I did use a 32 oz jar for this mix. I often make smaller batches--especially in the summer as I make gifts of them.
I may not even wait until tomorrow to eat some--you see I have the top off already.
I like your photo, a well-chosen background and a good angle to show off the surface view. I've done onions and red cabbage this year, a slightly different method to yours, I salt or brine overnight to give crunch, drain, then add the spiced vinegar. I make my own pickling spices, and would always add a clove or two (clou de girofle in French), my mother's "secret". I've been using cider vinegar but looking at online French recipes, they mostly use white vinegar. I'm with you on the waiting, my recipe says leave them in the fridge for a month before eating, but they rarely last that long.
@laroque I pickle all kinds of things too! Especially hot peppers. I often use a mix of cider vinegar with white, but all I had was the white today! I'll have to try the clove! In Honduras, I had curtido which had other spices but same concept with cabbage, onion, and carrots. It was on every table and I couldn't eat enough! These pickles get their best flavor by end if week. I rarely have enough to last 2 weeks!
@kali66 yay! I grew pickling cucumbers this past summer and I'll be doubling the effort this summer. Our local farmers also have tons. I can't wait for summer season markets to open up!
@jyokota do you have access to the Persian cucumbers? They work. I imagine regular cucumbers work too and you can spear them. Oh and there are the long cucumbers in markets. Take out the garlics and include the dill. You are set to go!
@brigette give it a try. If you prefer a sweeter pickle, mixxing cider vinegar in the white vinegar mix. Also sugar of carrots sweeten them. I prefer the saltier flavor.
@jyokota yes, absolutely! And cleaning vinegar is typically white distilled vinegar, which is what I use. I often do a half and half mixture of apple cider and the distilled vinegar. But all apple cider vinegar will add a nice flavor!
They look fabulous Darryl