We look forward to these pickles every summer because they’re our daughter’s favorite and they really are spectacular. The way they’re made is a bit unusual, too. They’re lacto-fermented in a salt brine with a wee bit of vinegar and a heap of herbs and spices while in the jar. Then they’re moved into the [...]
Entries Tagged as 'cucumbers'
A Little Sweetness in Your Dill Pickles?
August 19th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Recipes, garden
I’m convinced that the best dill pickles I’ve ever tasted had at least a little sugar in them. The traditional flavor combo–dill seed, mustard seed, peppercorns–just doesn’t do much for me. Yet I’ve had the hardest time finding a dill pickle recipe (I’m talking about vinegar pickles, of course) that gets me closer to the pickle [...]
Crazy for Cucumbers
June 24th, 2010 · 2 Comments · garden
How many cucumbers can one family eat?
We may soon find out. Somehow I’ve collected seed packets for eight different varieties of cucumbers–three slicing, five pickling. There was nothing to do but plant some of each to see how they all compare. Where the snap peas once stood, we now have a long row of cucumber [...]
Sliding from Spring Into Summer
June 10th, 2010 · 1 Comment · garden
“Why did you take down the snap peas?”
I’ve lost count of how many people have asked. The peas, clinging to their trellis, made a lovely wall of green for passersby to admire. But, as I explain, they weren’t making any more peas. No more flowers, no more peas. They were done. I’ve learned from fellow food [...]
Kids Make Cucumber Raita
March 5th, 2010 · No Comments · Ethnic, Recipes, kids
The kids in my food appreciation classes continue to explore the cuisine of South Africa, which has been heavily influenced by Indian immigrants. This week we made a favorite condiment, cucumber raita, that has a wonderful cooling effect served with spicy curries. It couldn’t be simpler, and even the kids noticed how healthy it is, consisting [...]
Oh, Boy! More Spicy Cajun Pickles!
August 29th, 2009 · No Comments · Recipes, garden
Do you like a spicy pickle? Our 9-year-old daughter especially likes a pickle with a little kick. Go figure. So this particular pickle has become one of our favorites. It gets the “Cajun” moniker because you can use just about every spice under the sun, but especially Italian seasonings and parika and hot pepper.
This is [...]
Tags: cucumbers·fermentation·pickles
Home Again
August 13th, 2009 · 1 Comment · garden
I miss my morning walks in Maine.
Two miles each way along back roads out of South Freeport. The roadsides were thick with wild flowers: Queen Anne’s lace, goldenrod, purple loosestrife, buttercups, black-eyed Susan’s. Gold finches flitted in the dense branches of an apple tree. Amidst the low din of bird sounds, the mechanical trill of [...]
Cucumber Wilt
July 9th, 2009 · 5 Comments · garden
In the years since we turned our front yard here in the District of Columbia into a kitchen garden we’ve had few problems with pests or diseases. I attributed our good fortune to being fairly isolated from any large plantings of vegetables. How would the pests find us? I also figured we were just brilliant gardeners, [...]
Daughter’s Favorite Cajun Pickles
July 7th, 2009 · No Comments · Recipes, garden
We just picked another load of cucumbers and I knew exactly what I was going to do with them. There are so many ways to pickle cucumbers, but we have our favorites. Besides the classic deli-style dills, we like this spicy “Cajun” version that’s packed with hot red peppers, red onion, oregano, chili powder and a bevy [...]
Pickles!
June 29th, 2009 · 8 Comments · Recipes, garden
Yes, we were so organized this year we already have our first pickling cucumbers of the season. As we know only too well, we will soon be inundated. These cucumber plants are stealthy fellows. No sooner have you picked a bucket of them, they are making new ones overnight.
How fast can you mix salt and [...]
Tags: cucumbers·dill·fermentation·pickles
We are engaging the concerns of a hungry planet--slowly--right here in our kitchen garden in the District of Columbia, about a mile from the White House.
