In a Pickle

Okay, well not really in a pickle. Today I spent the Sabbath with my friends, the Tankersleys, pickling some cucumbers, jalapenos, and serrano peppers in their kitchen (sorry about the vinegar smell, friends!). I was going to put up some corn, tomatoes, and peaches, but I ran out of jars.

I've been fascinated by "the old way" of living since I was a kid, watching my grandparents put up vegetables and homemade stew in the pantry, my grandma hand-quilting blankets, and my grandpa hammering away in the blacksmith forge. I'm a pretty lucky guy, to have been raised around such influences and to have been given such remarkable learning opportunities throughout my life. I am interested in preserving food because my grandparents sparked that interest in me years ago. How many kids have that experience?

After the great canning adventure was over, I had a little brine and a few jalapenos left, so I "half-pickled" them and stuck 'em in the fridge to cool. Tried a couple a few minutes ago, and they set my mouth on fire. Whew!