Colin’s culinary corner by Colin Eads I’m excited to join the Gardens as its new landscape technician. I come from a gardening family with lots of farming friends, so gardening is natural for me. Canning and preserving go hand-in-hand with gardening. Working in the gardens this year has given me the chance to grow a new variety of cucumbers called ‘Salt & Pepper,’ as well as the garlic and onions I also use in my pickles. The recipe I use is one passed through my family for years. It is very simple and unique, because we seal our jars using the “cold pack” method.
S A LT
and P E P P E R C U C U M B E R S
1 – 2 P O U N D S small to medium pickling
cucumbers 1 – 2 C L O V E S garlic, peeled and smashed,
per jar 1 – 2 S P R I G S of dill (per jar) 1 S M A L L to M E D I U M sweet onion,
cut into pieces 1 T S P dill seed per jar 1 C U P apple cider vinegar 1 C U P water Pint jars, lids, and rings Bring a large pot of water to a boil, deep enough to submerge your jars, lids, and rings. This will heat and sterilize them. Next, wash and de-stem your cucumbers. Place garlic, dill, and dill seed into each clean jar, then pack tightly with your cucumbers and onions. In a separate pot, bring water and vinegar to a boil. Pour boiling liquid over cucumbers in a packed jar. Tighten a lid and ring on each jar. Place upside down on a kitchen towel to cool and seal. Ta-da! These simple dill pickles will keep up to two years, if stored correctly.
12
C U LT I VAT E
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 0
