North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Thomas Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hello,

I have a very old "icicle" pickle recipe that is brined, but you need to
use alum for them to taste right.

    Icicle Pickles
    Yield: 16 250ml jars

       3 ga Cut cucumbers (spears)
            Canning salt
   2 1/2 tb Alum powder
   2 1/2 qt Vinegar
      16 c  Sugar
     1/4 c  Celery seed
       1 pk Cinamon sticks (half them)

Cut cucumbers into spears and place into a strong salt brine.  To make the
brine add canning salt to water till a raw egg floats.  Put cut cukes into
brine (use plastic or ceramic pail for brine).  Let stand 4 days, stirring
once each day.  Drain cukes on day 5 and add boiling water to cover cukes
and let stand 1 day and drain.  Add alum to boiling water and cover cukes
and let stand 1 more day.  Drain cukes and prepare syrup.

Place vinegar, celery seed, sugar and cinamon sticks into a pot and bring
to boil.

Put cukes into canning jars, fill jars with hot syrup.  Put lids (finger
tight) onto jars.  Process jars in steamer for 15 minutes.


Tom