Pickles! by Sarah
Pickles! by Sarah
I've had the perfect storm of pickle creativity! An abundance of fresh dill, a curiosity about mason jars, and a life long love for pickles drove me to create a pretty good first try at my own dill beauties.
We are first time members of a CSA share (Community Supported Agriculture) through a great urban farming initiative called the Massachusetts Avenue Project or MAP.
MAP has a farm and a youth development program on the West Side of Buffalo which is an under served area in terms of fresh healthy food availability.
MAP has a farm and a youth development program on the West Side of Buffalo which is an under served area in terms of fresh healthy food availability.
Every Tuesday we pick up fruits, veggies, herbs, and other treats that have been grown and produced here in the city. A few weeks ago fresh dill graced our share two weeks in a row and naturally cried out for a pickle solution!
Being an inexperienced pickler I decided quick pickles or refrigerator pickles should be the easiest process and require the fewest tools for success.
I read an article last year about historic blue and green mason jars going back into production last year so a quick visit to Target lead to some lovely little blue mason jars to hold hold the pickles. With the addition of some english cucumbers and onions from Wegmans, we were ready to begin the experiment.
Armed with jars, ingredients, and a recipe from Epicurious the pickling began. I used a quarter inch slicer on the food processor to slice the cucumber for consistency and of course time savings. I also used rice vinegar for a milder flavor as suggested in the recipe.
Being my father's daughter, I, of course, tweaked the recipe just a bit by adding garlic ramps from our CSA for a mild garlic flavor and halved the sugar to tone down the sweetness.
Overall the recipe was simple, the flavor nice and dilly, and the opportunity to try a new food adventure was a success! We used them all weekend during the Fourth of July on burgers, sandwiches, and as a side.
Being my father's daughter, I, of course, tweaked the recipe just a bit by adding garlic ramps from our CSA for a mild garlic flavor and halved the sugar to tone down the sweetness.
Overall the recipe was simple, the flavor nice and dilly, and the opportunity to try a new food adventure was a success! We used them all weekend during the Fourth of July on burgers, sandwiches, and as a side.
Will definitely tackle these tasty pickles when fresh cucumbers come into season in Western New York! Enjoy!
Be sure to check out the follow links for more information on MAP and Epicurious's recipe information.
Massachucetts Avenue Project
Slightly sweet dill refrigerator pickles
---Sarah