The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-08-26
PRESERVING CUCUMBER
PICKLES.:

! PRESERVING CUCUMBER
l. PICKLES.. -
In the preparation of cucumber
pickles the important considerations
are flavor and keeping quality. The
flavor selected depends upon the de-
sires Of the consumer and u.s. secured
by the use Of liquors of various kinds
Pickles that possess good keeping
quality retain their green color and
normal shape and remain plump. crisp
and solid until used. These conditions
are secured by the proper preparation
and application of different sorts OF
preserving liquids that have been
favored with spices. -:
Containers.
Earthenware, glass and porcelain
vessels make the most satisfactory
containers for pickles. The glass or
earthenware Jars are generally pre-
ferred, the latter often being pur-
chased in sizes large enough to hold
20 or 80 gallons when large quantf-
ties are to be preserved. For. small
amounts the common screw-to> jar
holding one to two quarts is desirable:
Secondhand whisky, alcohol or. vim
egart barrels will prove satisfactory If
we'll cleaned and the heads removed
and the interiors painted with hot
paraffin. If. possible secure new con-
tainers or only those that have been
previously used for pickles. Under no
consideration should pickles be nut
up in vessels that have held any kind
Of grease or oily materials. Even a
crn q amt ~ orooon nv ~ m ,
hands while the cucumbers are being
placed in the jar will cause them to
ferment in short time. Boil pickles
in porcelain-lined or stone vessels;
never in metal
Preserving.
The preparation of .,ickles begins
! with the picking. In order to have
fruits of uniform size and shape the
harvesting is done REGULARLY. systema-
tically and often. If thew are allowed
to grow large and produce seed the
production Of the vine soon stops and
the quality deteriorates. In good
growing weather three or 'our pickl-
ings week will he sufficient. Gu
cumbers are gathered by cutting and
not by pulling or twisting. The
blossom e Ids may be removed. but
the fruit should not be rubbed. II
grown on sand or soil that sticks to
the pickles they should be washed and
dried before picking.
Careful grading is practiced nv
those who are most successful in
nickle making. Size. shape, color and
degree Of ripeness are considered
Uniformity is desired for. two rea-
sons: 1t makes the pickles more at
tractive for serving and causes the
preserving liquids, which gradually
replace the moisture in the cells of
the fruit. to satura:e them much more
uniformly. Three or four grades my
be made and each handled in the
same wav in senarate containers.
Salt or Brine Pickles.
Cucumbers are sailed down to keen
them for future use. This method
was formerly practiced quite extern
sively in the home and is followed to
"a great extent at present by CONNER
cia1 firms with their best grades OF
pickles. The older method consisted
In putting the pickles down in brine
which had been made strong. enough
to bear an egg, about one pint of salt
TO one gallon Of water. # the vessel
is large and the cucumbers are added
from day to day. sufficient brine
should be provided to keep them en-
tirely covered at all times.
Dill Pickles.
Dill pickles are made from fresh
cucunbers or from salt stock. Those
from salt stock keep better but are not
of SO high quality.
For home use, when smaller
amounts of dill pickles are to be made
the following method will give good
results: For each gallon of pickles
prepare Of three sticks Of dill weed,
handful of cherry leaves, a hand
full Of grape leaves and a handful Of
peach leaves, by washing them in
water and mixing them together. Then
place. q layer Of the leaves and dill on
the bottom Of the jar, then two lay
ers of pickles followed by the leaves
and dill until the jar is full. Sprinkle
a handful Of salt over the top and
pour in cold water until the jar is full.
Place on. a cover and weight it until
the :cucumbers are covered with the
brine. D1lls prepared in this manner
will be ready to use in ten davS II