The Pickled Piper (23 page)

You enjoyed it!

At that, Piper turned toward the dessert table and grabbed one of Aunt Judy's homemade cookies topped with mango jam. Before she bit into it, she paused, then reached back to pick up a second one. That one was for Will.

Recipes

WATERMELON RIND PICKLES

YIELD: 3 PINTS

8 cups prepared watermelon rind cubes (1 large watermelon)

¹
/
₂
cup pickling salt

2 quarts water

2 cups white vinegar

3 cups white or brown sugar

1 thinly sliced lemon

2 cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon allspice berries

1 teaspoon whole cloves

Trim off the skin and pink flesh from the watermelon rind and cut into 1-inch squares. Put into a large bowl with a mixture of
¹
/
₂
cup salt and 2 quarts of water, cover, and soak overnight at room temperature. Drain in a colander and rinse and soak in fresh water, then drain again. Cover again with fresh water, then simmer until the cubes are tender. Drain.

Mix together vinegar, sugar, lemon, and spices tied in a cheesecloth bag and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rind cubes and cook until the syrup is clear.

Ladle the hot rind and syrup into clean, hot pint jars, leaving
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/
₂
inch headspace. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each, turning to finger tight. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

SWEET-AND-SOUR
ZUCCHINI PICKLES

YIELD: 4 PINTS

8 cups sliced small zucchini

2 onions, quartered and thinly sliced

¹
/
₄
cup pickling salt

Cold water

2
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/
₂
cups cider vinegar

1
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/
₂
cups sugar

1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

4 sprigs fresh dill

Scrub zucchini and cut into
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/
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-inch rounds. Add to sliced onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, tossing, then cover with water and let stand for 2 hours. Drain and rinse well.

In a nonreactive pot (stainless steel or ceramic), mix vinegar, sugar, pickling spices, and mustard seeds, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in zucchini and onions. Let stand for 1
¹
/
₂
hours, then bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.

Put a sprig of dill in each of 4 clean, hot jars. Ladle zucchini and liquid into jars leaving
¹
/
₂
-inch headspace. Use a chopstick or knife to remove air bubbles, then wipe the rims with a damp paper towel. Seal each jar with a flat lid and ring, turning to finger tight. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Pickling Tips

• Use only fresh, high-quality, unbruised produce.
  
• Process produce as soon as possible or refrigerate immediately.
  
• Use a vinegar with 4–6 percent acetic acid or a 40–60 grain strength.
  
• Use pickling salt, which does not contain the additives of table salt.
  
• Avoid hard water, which will cause dark, discolored pickles.
  
• Use fresh herbs and spices, stored in glass jars, within a year of opening.