Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-08-30
Domestic Pickles.

Never underany circumstances use brass,
copper or bell metal kettles for picking,
the verdigris produced in them by the
vinegar being very poisonous. Porcelain
lined kettles are best for this purpose.
Vinegar for pickles should always be the
best cider or white wine vinegar. Always
use stone or glass jars for putting away
pickles. Have wooden spoon or fork
for the express purpose Of taking them out
of the jar when you want to use them.
See that they are always covered with the
vinegar. you have any suspicion that
they are not keeping well do them over
Immediately with freshly spiced vinegar
Vinegar for pickles should not boil over
five minutes, as too much boiling takes
away its strength. 1t is an excellent rule
to have two. thirds of the jar filed with
pickles and one-third with vinegar. A
very small quantity Of alum is useful to
extract the salt and to make them firm
and crisp. In greening pickles keep
them very closel y covered, so that none of
the steam may escape, as its retention
promotes their greenness and prevents
the flavor from eyaporating. If possible,
always use a wooden vessel to salt the
pickles in. Never put them up in jars
that have had grease in them; never let
them freeze, and keep them from the air
as much as possible, and have cool. dry
place in which to store them. When white
specks appear in the vinegar drain it from
the pickles and scald it up again, adding
a teasboonful of sugar to quart of vine.
gar Pieces of horseradish and few
cloves will help to preserve the vinegar.
When you make sweet pickles always use
the best brown sugar.
Cherries, 6arberrles. nasturtlums, grapes
and red cabbage are the easiest OF all
pickles to DO. as they need only to be per
fectly sound and wiped dry with a clean
cloth, then put into jars and cold vinegar
poured over them. Have them corked
tightly. The grapes must have sprinkl'
ing OF sugar over each layer OF grapes,
Some whole cinnamon, together with one
quarter as much cloves and allspice, may
be added 10 the vinegar.
To PICKLE ONIoNS.-Take very small
onions, and with sharp knife peel them.
Put them into salt and water and lei
them stand in the brine six days, stirring
them often, and changing the salt and
WdlCT every IWO udIS, DGO tudb Iu6V arc
closely covered. Then put the onions into
jars and give them scald in boiling
salt and water Let them stand till they
are cold; then drain them n sieve, wipe
them dry, and stick Glove in the top OF
each, and put them into wide:mouthed
bottles, adding few blades of mace and
sew slices of ginger. Fill up the bottles
with the best cider vinegar, and put in
the top a large spoonful of salad oil
Cork the bottles tight and seal.
To PrCx1E CrcrMrFRs -Ca,her tho
cucnmbers with n verv ANAL niece of tho
stems On tbem coref,Ilv LAYING tham in a
basket, So "a not to bruise them Select
verv small ones and those that arc freq
from snots There are two ,gavs If dom
cncnmbers The hest ia tn taHc frLinn
or cask of anv sort cover the bottom If !,
with salt and law in the cncnm hers threo
inches deem. covering them with salt
Reneat This process mill ali are in Ponr
over the first LAYER some water, and ,hi,
will form a brine for all Pnt LAYER n
salt nm the ton and cloth tnctad t;ghtl,
around il. with n hoard fittcd closel1 ~
The cloth and n Iarge stone or ot ber bo.y,
WEIGHT IN Keen II IN nIace and taon ,iI
cucnmbers under brine They mist he
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