I Don't Need Any Pickling Cucumbers This Summer

We don't use many sweet pickles, but I have never been able to find any that rival the flavor of the ones that Mother makes from a recipe labeled "Ruby Rice's Lime Pickles." Mother pickled more cucumbers than she ever had at one time last summer at age 92. Angie had purchased them from the farmer's market frequented by her each summer. Mother reminded me a few weeks ago, "I DON"T need any pickling cucumbers this summer!" (To read more about Ruby Rice, go to: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/04/she-taught-me-almost-everything-i-knew.html)

Making Pickles 

  Put 7 pounds of sliced cukes in lime solution (2 cups of hydrated lime dissolved in two gallons of water).

Mother uses her vintage crock for soaking.

After soaking 24 hours, rinse well and cover with fresh cool water for 3 hours. 

 

                                                                                         Then spread out for one hour.

 Boil together 8 cups of vinegar, 10 1/8 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon pickling salt with a bag of spices comprised of 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 teaspoon mixed pickling spice, and 1 teaspoon celery seed.

Put the cucumbers in a clean 2-gallon crock and pour boiling hot vinegar mixture over them. Soak at least overnight. Leaving the cucumbers in the mixture for several days will not compromise the quality of the final pickle product. Mother uses an old plate on top of the pickles, ensuring they remain immersed in the solution.

Remove cucumbers in pickling mixture from the crock. Boil cucumber mixture for 40 minutes. 

              

Sterilize the pint jars you will be using. Fill a sterilized pint jar with pickles and then ladle pickling juice within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar and seal. Continue until all pickles are in jars.

        

        

Label jars with date of pickling and enjoy the results for years to come.  

Mother modeled for Angie, my sister, and me the "Proverbs 31 Woman" throughout our lives. As I recalled her pickling adventure of 2017, these phrases from Proverbs 31 came to mind:

...willingly works with her hands...

...provides food for her household...

...her lamp does not go out by night...

...Strength and honor are her clothing...

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed...

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.