A trip to the market yielded these…and these one of these a bouquet of weeds and a bowl of spices plopped into jars while a brine simmered pickles wedged and jostled for space then brine bathed and simmered finally plucked out… 12 little jar in two straight lines they left the brine at half past…
by Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
It’s astounding, you make pickle look beautiful
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Such a timely post! I’m going to try your Philly Dilly
I’ve bottled 3 jars so far of homemade pickles, 2 different recipes, there’s room for a third, fourth….
And what gorgeous photos Smidge, delightful! I’ll be interestes to see what people have to say about the standing tall thing too !
I love your photos Barbara! I’m not that much into pickles but since I made the rose jelly I’ve been wanting to jar things. Something about jarring…preserving for later , is addictive.
Would you believe it I just found a reference to how to keep pickles crunchy – the key is tannines and you can use grape leaves, You see I’m growing Cornichon and wanted a typical French recipe. Hope you don’t mind me posting the links, but they may help you http://www.frenchgardening.com/cuisine.html?pid=3166082671167471 and http://www.foodwithlegs.com/french-cornichons/
A fickle pickle – how cute! Can I come watch you do your magic in your kitchen if I promise to take quiet notes?
Great photography!
Smidge – the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of calcium chloride per pint really helps the crunch factor. Dreamy pictures!
Beautiful photos, Barb…especially of the spice…I we love pickles in my house…take a special trip on Saturday morning to the local farmer’s market….xom
Great post, Smidge… I’ve never canned anything at home, no pickles, no jams. Something to keep in mind for a future project. Lovely photos, as always…
Hope you are having a great weekend!
What beautiful photos and what a fantastic pickles! Remind me of my childhood.
They definitely look good enough to eat
What lovely photos! You have got to be Freshly Pressed!
Scroll down to step 8 of this post. It tells you how to keep crunchy and it works.
http://www.pickyourown.org/makingcrisppickles.htm
Next season I will be frequenting your blog and Cecelia’s to try to figure out how to can all of my vegetables (that I will hope to have from a HUGE organic garden). The jam I feel pretty confident about but the pickling part makes me a little nervous.
I think I would have to allow your pickles to sit on my counter for a bit to dress up my kitchen. They’re gorgeous and I can only imagine how they taste! <3
Evidently <3 doesn't make a heart on WordPress…so I'll just have to settle with this I guess ~ xxx April
A stunningly good, well illustrated post, once again.
I did cut off the blossom ends.. and had fresh cucumbers of the right size.. hopefully they were as fresh as they recommended! I loved that website, thank you!:D
Gorgeous photos!
Pickles: a little time capsule packed with flavour. Yours look just delicious, Barbara.
I love pickled cucumbers but the kids won’t go near them – maybe its something to do with that really bad ‘Sour Pickle Face’ song that Barney the Dinsoaur sang which I made them watch when they were little!
Great post, Barb! You always treat us to such great photography and your step-by-step details cannot be beat. I’ve made refrigerator pickles before but never went all the way and preserved them. I was afraid that they’d lose their crunch. With all of these suggestions on how to maintain it, maybe I’ll give it a try after all. Thanks for the nudge.
Love the Dill Crowns … so beautiful. Wonderful photos again – the last one my favorite.
Like anything that is pickled .. except men … * laughing. I’m far too lazy to do this .. have a friend that always provide me with hers – garlic is interesting .. I will tell my friend about that. Pickled cucumbers are very good for hangover too … my grandpa always eating pickled cucumbers the morning after. This post is eye candy again.
I have never seen a pickle recipe more beautifully photographed smidge
Pickles are among my favorite foods. I’m going to have to try these sometime!
These look great. Beautiful pictures.
These look lovely Smidge. I love how you were able to buy everything you needed from a market. And the jars are gorgeous and make you look like a very professional ‘pickler’. I The flower tops you added to the jar – I haven’t seen them in the shops so perhaps I need to visit a market and hope for the best because I love pickles and love to make my own. I blogged earlier this year about some bread and butter pickles my mother used to make but all the gherkins had to be finely chopped and there was a lot of slicing onions too. These would be much simpler. I’m glad they were a success xx
What a fun adventure! I have never pickled anything, but I really want to. I also have never tried fried pickles, but NEED to!
Fantastic – great inspiration. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making pickled cucumbers. I adore them… could seriously just sit and guzzle a whole jar of them on their own. I love your photos Barb!
Hope all your pickles turn out nice and crunchy. I gave up on regular pickles several years ago as it seemed to be a hit or miss proposition. Even when I followed the same rules every time, I was never sure of the results. If I pickle, I now make pickeled carrots. You can count on them for crunch.
I adore pickles – yet have never made my own. Your pictures are stunning!
This is a wonderful post as we love pickles and never knew how to begin the process! Your images are amazing … truly artistry at its finest Barbara! x Robyn
Soo beautiful! It is an art and you are and artist
So beautiful… If the pickles are as good as they look,.. I wish to be around.
My mouth is watering and you cannot find a good dill pickle here anywhere in HK. If I can find canning supplies and pickling cucumbers in HK I would love to give your recipe a try. Drats! I should have brought back some jars from the States when I was visiting….
Coming from Northern Europe I have lived with dill pickled cucumbers all my life: even managed to make a few batches myself. Have had them both professionally pickled and made by dear friends. I don’t think a bit of a wobble matters at all and whereas they should have a crunch there should also be a balance of softness and juice! These do look like the real Mc Coy
!
Very pretty pictures! Dill is so photogenic.
They look amazing. I’ve been on a pickling binge this week
They look amazing! I’ve been on a pickling binge this week
Oh how I miss having the time to jar things! You inspire me to make time! These pickles look and sound absolutely divine!
I have made jam at home but never pickled anything and may never do so. But I absolutely loved looking at your beautiful photographs.
Perfect timing, I’m trying my hand at pickles today! These look great.
I never realized how much art there is in a jar of pickles – lovely & inspiring post!
If pickles is just one of the work of arts you photography is the other. Amazing shots!
I’ve been wanting to do some pickles this year and after reading your article I think I have everything on hand. Looking forward to trying this for myself.
beautiful photos…!!!
I was away this weekend so I’m just catching up now, Smidge. My Mom used to make pickles in the fall, oh how I loved them. I may have to give these a go, thanks for sharing.
My word…. these are gorgeous!!!
The photos are absolutely stunning Smidge! Both recipes sound good, buuuuut I’m partial to spicy so I’d love to try the Fickle Spicy Pickles first. Thank you for both recipes though…..and the trip to the market. I can’t stop looking at the pictures
Your pictures are always so stunning Smidge. They totally emanate your style! The pickles look great. Reminded me of my mom’s.
I love a good pickle, and the soon to be pickles int he mason jars just remind me of my grandmother when she used to make hers. Loved this post
They look lovely, such a good idea, and would make a really pretty gift too. I can imagine how nerve wracking it would be to open it up and see if you achieved that ‘crunch’.
I get my pickle crunch by bathing the pickles in a big vat of ice water overnight. How or why that works remains a mystery to me.
Beautiful photographs and so nice work, Thank you dear Barbara, love, nia
I’m late to comment, so I won’t repeat what everyone else has said…except that when it comes to you photography, I just must add my comments. The photos are unbelievably delicious! Your artistic eye certainly shows in each frame!
D
Absolutely stunning! I can’t imagine a prettier peck of pickles!! And the recipe, this one’s getting pinned and I do hope I find my way to make them before summer’s up and gone away! You are ALWAYS such an inspiration!! xoxo
Thanks so much..I love Pickle:D
I don’t mind at all, Claire.. I’m new at this, so it’s great to have any info:D You sound like quite the experienced Pickler!! xx
Rose Jelly.. how lovely! You’re right, it is addicting! I left my equipment at the lake and now am wishing I’d brought it home. It’s like baking bread.. it’s an all day event with a great reward at the end! xx
You could do more than watch pickles.. I may have to put you to work;)
Thanks!
Where do I purchase that? A drug store or specialty food/hobby store?? I’d give that a try for sure!
I hope you find either cucumbers or some ready-made Market Pickles!!
I felt like a Mad Scientist doing all this measuring and boiling;)
You’ve managed to elevate the humble pickle in my opinion !
[...] Dallying recipes will be John From The Bartolini Kitchens Bread and Butter Pickles and Smidge’s version. You see I have PLENTY of Cornichon [...]
Lovely photos and beautiful dill pickles, my favourites. I too would love to know how to do this crunchy. Your words remind me of Madeline in Paris, the 12 little girls in two straight lines, did you read that book as a child?
Thanks for the follow. I love your blog! Your photos are gorgeous and you really have an artistic eye. Bravo!!!
Adore pickles…and I have to hand it to you, my dear – pickles never did look so pretty as in this post!
Looove pickles. Lyrical post about them, my darling!!!