Pickling

See that? Right there, above these very words? Yeah. You're looking at my first foray into pickling, which appears to be gaining followers throughout this whole food bloggy internets thing. Green beans, fresh, doused in a simple brine. They're in my fridge now, since I didn't bother to hot water process them. It's gonna be torture until I can open them up and taste them, but I'll stay strong, I promise.

I love the process of canning, preserving, pickling, etc. I grew up doing it, thanks to my mom and her neverending energy and will not to waste a single tomato coming out of our garden. We would make dill and sweet pickles, pear preserves, tomato sauce, horseradish, zucchini relish. Oh, that zucchini relish - best thing ever in tuna salad. Some day, I'll have a really large zucchini I need to get rid of and I'll share the recipe with you. It's special.

Even now, now that my mom is too busy at work for extensive canning and preserving efforts, we can still enjoy the fruits of her labor. You see, a family of four didn't really need all of the produce she preserved, so we're still working through pickles dated before the turn of the century. Some things don't last, like the loaves of zucchini bread she would make and freeze (I'd make off with them every time I came home from college, bringing 2-3 loaves back to share with friends). Apple pies (unbaked, just assembled) would disappear on long winter nights as a wonderful end to a warm wintry meal. And pickles, which got stronger and stronger as years went by - word to the wise, don't try the spicy ones, they'll grow hair on your chest. And the last thing I think I need is hair on my chest.

But these green beans? I think this is a start to a wonderful friendship, me and pickling, preserving, canning. I don't have room for the scale of preserving my mom did, but when I do, just watch out. Pickles, pies, breads, and jams galore!

Basic Brining Liquid (adapted from Food in Jars)

1 1/3 cups water
1 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp each coriander seed, whole peppercorns, whole cloves, whole allspice berries
3 bay leaves, crushed
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Bring all ingredients to a boil (open windows, the vinegar will knock you out). Pour over your chosen pickle-able produce which has been packed in a freshly washed canning jar. Leave 1/2" headspace, and run a knife around the edge to get rid of bubbles trapped along the sides of the jar. Seal the jar and let cool until it is only barely warm. The jar may seal, but you still need to store in the fridge, as it hasn't been hot water processed. Let sit 2-3 days before digging in!