It’s mid-July. As all town gardeners know—we are about to have a vegetable explosion. Soon there will be anonymous bags of cucumbers, beets, peppers, tomatoes, but especially zucchini and summer squash—left on the porches of unsuspecting neighbors.
It has been this way for years and years. What to do with those crates of cukes and boxes of beets? Pickle! In 1952 the Williamsburg #225 Grange ladies of the town created a “Williamsburg Grange and Community Cook Book” full of family recipes to share. Pickles, relishes, and preserves had their own chapter, introduced with this little ditty: “Peel your onions and shed a tear; For pickling time is drawing near”. Recipes are as given in 1952.
Mrs. Walter Swingington’s Pepper Relish
12 green tomatoes; 4 green peppers; 4 onions. Chop fine and put in 1/2 cup of salt and let stand overnight. Squeeze dry. Add 1 cup sugar; 2 cups vinegar. Stir well and put in jars. No cooking.
Norma Kellogg’s Pickled Beets
Trim tops to 1/2 inch above root. Wash thoroughly. Boil until tender. Put in cold water and remove skins with hands. Make a syrup of 1 cup beet water; 1 cup vinegar; 1 cup of sugar. Put on stove until boiling hot. Place beets in fruit jars and pour prepared mixture over them. Seal and process 10 minutes.
Hazel Warner’s Bread and Butter Pickles
30 cucumbers, 1 inch in diameter; 10 medium-sized onions, sliced; 2 large sweet peppers; 4 tablespoons salt. Slice cucumbers, onions, and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and let stand one hour. Drain well in sieve or cheese cloth bag. Make a pickling solution, using these ingredients: 3 cups strong vinegar; 3 cups water; 4 cups sugar; 2 teaspoons celery seed; 2 teaspoons white mustard seed; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 2 teaspoons ground ginger, if desired. Let spices come to a boil. Add prepared vegetables and bring to a simmer (when bubbles begin to gather on side of pan that is simmering temperature). Simmer 25 minutes, stirring often. Seal in hot, sterilized jars; seal with hot wet rubber rings and hot sterilized lids.
Mary Cross’ Small Cucumber Pickles
Put in bottom of quart jar 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 tablespoon white mustard seed. Fill jar with freshly washed small cucumbers. Fill jar with vinegar and seal.
Add your own special recipes to the comments below. Happy pickling! Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist and vegetable photographer. #throwbackthursday; #tbt
Posted to Facebook 7/21/2022
