Our pickling cucumbers were one of the few plants in our garden that actually gave us enough fruit to do something with. That was exciting to me since I love pickles.
I found a recipe online, but made a few changes. It called for white distilled vinegar. I had cider vinegar. And then amount of vinegar to water seemed like it wasn't enough to get the desired tartness I wanted, so I increased it a bit. I don't have a canner, but the jars sealed properly without it and without a cooking water bath after I had the hot brine in the jars with the cucumbers. We canned two jars the first time.
We opened my first attempt about a week ago. Yowza! Too much vinegar! Matt said it felt like the enamel was being stripped off his teeth. And he really didn't care for the cider vinegar taste in that amount. I've eaten almost all the pickles because I can't let my hard work go to waste. I don't mind the vinegaryness of it, but it does give me a little tummy ache by the end of the pickle.
Yesterday I tried actually following the recipe with the white vinegar and correct amount. We'll try these in about a week or two. Hopefully it's a better result!
12 comments:
What a novel idea. Actually follow the recipe! I am the same way. I rarely do exactly what a recipe says to do. Did you try rinsing the pickles before you eat them?
Well...I have to admit, I didn't follow follow the recipe. I just followed it more closely than the last time. haha.
It is a very, very rare occasion that I follow a recipe exactly. Mostly just when baking. And that's only because I don't feel like I'm as intuitive baking as I am cooking...
I thought of rinsing them, but I didn't.
haha. Do we get that from you mom? Once I made a dish and Aaron asked if I followed the recipe (you know a real rules guy) and I said um sort of. I guess we just know what we want and do it!
I think that it is very admirable to do pickles. Even if they didn't turn out just right the first time! I'm proud of you for even trying!
I can't believe that you remembered my birthday! Thank you!
Amanda, I love that you have a blog. It seems crazy that you moved from Snowflake in 4th grade...I still very much enjoy hearing about your life and your family.
Oh, and following recipes.
I find it amazing when I read reviews on recipes on Allrecipes.com and they're like, "This was WAY too ____. I don't even like ____." So I think, well if you know you don't like it, why did you put it in? Or why didn't you start with a little and increase it until you get the right amount. Saltiness, spiciness and spice preference varies so much from person to person, I figure I'll just make it to my liking, and not to the recipe's liking. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. But then the next time I know to make some adjustments. No harm done. It's all a learning process.
haha again...I thought your friend Amanda was our Amanda and I thought uh was it her birthday...nope then I thought uh does she have a blog....jip why was I left out...haha.
That's Amanda Slade. But Amanda our sister is having a birthday soon... just about a week away.
yep. start shopping. JUST KIDDING. i am a recipe follower to the extreme, but probably because i don't have the confidence that celia has. also, i never add salt or pepper when the recipe says "to taste" because i always like a little more slt than cannon. it is not too often that we ever even add the salt. it is probably healthier that way.
just kidding amanda (slade). i can remember when you and amanda ervien were born and i felt SO onored that your moms named you after me. hahaha.
sorry about the typos. my cordless keyboard needs new batteries. sometimes i don't catch all of the letters it leaves off.
Amanda, I can't believe you'll often not put salt in when it calls "to taste"! I can't imagine food without salt...
yummm...salt...
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