Pickle It

I went overboard at the farmer’s market.  It happens every time. I try to make a list but then I get there and the cherry heirloom tomatoes are just sitting there waiting for a home, and the purple cauliflower looks lonely so I have to take that too. Oh and they had Brussels Sprouts on the stalk (I didn’t know that’s how they grew!). Add in my staples of cucumbers, carrots, beets, potatoes, snap peas, and raspberries (and a bouquet of flowers but you can’t eat those…) and before I know it, I have more food than 2 people can eat before I go back next weekend. You can only eat so many vegetables with hummus and you can really only put zucchini in so many things. So what to do with all those vegetables and fruits from the farmer’s market or even better, from your own garden?
 
Pickle It.
 
Quick refrigerator pickling is going to be your new hobby. It’s easy, customizable and the perfect way to extend the life of all that produce.
 
The easy part? It always starts with the same ingredients. Vinegar, water, a little sugar and little seasoning. Depending on what you’re pickling, the ratios will vary just a little bit - but in general it’s 3 parts vinegar, one-part water and sugar to taste. Plus, seasonings.
 
The customizable part – switch up the vinegar (think apple cider, red wine, white wine), switch up the sugar (white, brown, honey, agave) and then use whatever extras you think would be a good idea. We included some cinnamon with our pickled grapes and red pepper flakes with pickled pineapple.
 
Boil the liquid and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, pour hot liquid over your prepped veggies or fruit (or hard boiled eggs!) in a clean mason jar and let sit for a few days in the refrigerator, and enjoy! Cheese boards, Bloody Mary’s, grilled chicken sandwiches, in a grilled cheese, treat them like giardiniera and top a hot beef sandwich – you really can put these treats on anything! Just remember we weren't canning so they need to be stored in the fridge. 
 
Let us know what you’ve been pickling!