168 THE BLUE BIRD CooK BooK 6. In making pickles, use enamel, aluminum or stainless steel cooking utensils. Since vinegar and salt react with iron, copper and brass, causing discoloration, utensils made of these metals should not be used. 7. Pickles should be stored in clean glass jars, sealers or crocks. If kept in crocks, pickles should be well covered with vinegar solution to prevent moulding. A plate or wooden board, cut to fit inside the crock, should be placed on top of the pickles and weighted down. A clean stone or other weight may be used. Relishes and sauces should be packed in hot, sterilized jars and completely sealed. 8. When making brine, use the proportion of 1% cups coarse salt to 2 quarts (10 cups) water. If not enough salt is used, pickles will be soft or slippery; if too much salt is used, they may shrivel and become tough. Do not use free-running salt. Salt, treated to make it free-running, causes cloudiness in the brine. SMALL PICKLED ONIONS 2 quarts small white onions 2 teaspoons mixed pickling Y% cup salt spices 1 cup suger 4 cups white wine vinegar Pour boiling soft water over the onions, set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle the papery outer skin can easily be removed. Let stand overnight in a brine using the 2 cup salt with enough water to cover. Drain and rinse lightly. Bring to the boil the vinegar, sugar and spices tied in a bag. Boil for a minute or two. Remove spices, put in onions. Just bring to the boil and pack into sterilized jars. Seal immediately. N.B.—Cauliflower pieces are delicious pickled the same way and if desired may be mixed with the onions. DELICIOUS DILL PICKLES 25 fresh firm cucumbers 7 cups cider vinegar (dill size) 2 to 3 good-sized heads of dill 1 clove garlic 1 hot red pepper Ya teaspoon powdered alum Ye cup salt 3 quarts weter Wash cucumbers, let stand in clear water overnight. Pack in clean, sterile jars and to each quart add garlic and peppers (finely chopped), and dill, dividing evenly to the number of jars. Combine vinegar, alum, salt and water and bring to the boiling point. Pour into jars and seal. This makes 6 to 8 jars according to the size of the cucumbers. BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES 6 quarts sliced green cucumbers 6 cups sugar 12 sliced onions (medium size) Yq cup mustard seed 8 cups vineger 2 tablespocns turmeric 1 tablespoon whole cloves 2 teaspoons celery seed Wipe the cucumbers and slice thinly (¥“’) without peeling. Place a layer of these in a bowl and then a sprinkling of salt. Repeat until all are used. Cover and let stand at least 3 hours. Drain. Boil together the vinegar, sugar and spices; add the cucumbers then onions and bring again to the boil. Boil 2 to 3 minutes. Bottle while hot and seal tightly. MUSTARD PICKLES Ii 1 quart silverskin onions 3 tablespoons celery seed 3 quarts gherkins Y2 cup flour @ 1 cauliflower Y2 cup mustard 2’2 cups suger 4 cups cider vinegar 2 tablespoons turmeric Peel onions and cut cauliflower and gherkins in desired sizes. Put in brine (V2 cup salt to 1 quart water), to soak overnight and to this add alum (1 teaspoon alum to 1 quart). Prepare sauce of other ingredients which have been cooked until thick. Add vegetables and cook slowly about 15 minutes. Bottle and seal.