In a real pickle

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By Kitsey E. Burns – kburns@civitasmedia

 

yadkinripple.com

Who doesn’t like a pickle? Ok, well, I’m sure there are some who don’t, but that’s OK, more for us! Summertime is in full swing and my cucumber vines are producing like crazy. I’m pretty excited about it because I love to can pickles. This year I am growing a regular green pickling cucumber as well as a white cucumber. Both of these varieties look great in jars.

My biggest problem is making sure to check the vines thoroughly every day, otherwise I end up with a cucumber the size of a zucchini and too large to can. I have had quite a few that were almost too big, but I hated to waste them so I sliced them into spears to can.

So far this year I have made several different kinds of pickles and at the rate my vines are producing, I’ll probably make a few more kinds before summer is over. I have made a few batches of a spicy dill pickle, grape leaf pickles and I tried a Sriracha pickle as well.

I prefer salty, sour and spicy pickles. I’m not a sweet pickle fan, but my dad does like bread and butter pickles so I will probably make a batch of those for him. The spicy dill pickle is really simple to make and the recipe is actual for a small batch so it’s great if you just have a few cucumbers from your own garden or the local farmers market. You can always increase the recipe to make a larger batch.

This year I’m also attempting to make some pickles the really old-fashioned way — in a stone crock. My mamma bought this crock at an auction a number of years ago and it has been sitting in our basement ever since. Last year, at my friend’s suggestion, I made a jar of fermented pickles. They were very different, but delicious, and fermented foods are supposed to be very good for you. I’m hoping my pickles fermented in the crock will turnout well.

Grape leaf pickles are my personal favorite, but that wasn’t always the case. I remember as a child we always canned green beans, tomatoes, stuffed peppers and pickles every summer. We normally just made dill pickles or sweet pickles, but one year Mamma wanted to make grape leaf pickles. Everything my mamma ever cooked or prepared was normally delicious, but something didn’t go well with the pickles and they were terrible. It was a family joke for a long time. A few years after that, I tried some grape leaf pickles that my cousin had made and they were delicious. Now they are one of my favorites.

Grape leaf pickles do tend to be on the salty side and not everyone likes them. My dad and fiancé both dislike them, but my great Uncle Ken and I love them so I made a special batch this year. I was particularly proud of the labels I made for my jars. I found a picture of my mamma and me when we were canning pickles a few years ago and printed that out to use as the label for the jars.

Speaking of labels, if you like to can and give your canned goods away as gifts, there are tons of free label templates you can find online to make your canned gifts look really nice. Add ribbons or other extras to make them even more special. Most people realize the time and effort it takes to can and it’s not something a lot of people do anymore so most will consider a home-canned gift a very special treat.

If you have a good pickle recipe, I’d love to try it, email me at kburns@civitasmedia.com or call me at 336-518-3049.

Small Batch Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles (recipe adapted from www.thekitchn.com)

• 2 pounds pickling cucumbers (sliced or cut into spears)

• 1 1/2 cups vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 2 tablespoons pickling salt

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled (2 per jar)

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper per jar (3/4 teaspoons total)

• 1 teaspoon dill seed per jar (3 teaspoons total) (I have also used dill weed and added some additional fresh dill from garden and it works great.)

• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns per jar (1 1/2 teaspoons total)

Directions: In a large saucepot, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer. Arrange jars on counter and dole out the spices to each. Pack the cucumber slices firmly into the jars. Pour the brine into the jar, leaving approximately ½ inch headspace. Makes three pints. Tap jars gently on countertop to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Apply lids and let jars cool. When they’ve returned to room temperature, place jars in refrigerator. Let them sit for at least 48 hours before eating. (This recipe is intended to be for refrigerator pickles, but I prefer to heat my lids and waterbath my jars so I can store them in my canning closet. I almost always double or triple this recipe to make larger batches at a time.)

Kitsey E. Burns is a reporter for The Yadkin Ripple where she shares her musings on food, life and love. She can be reached at 336-679-2341 or on Twitter @RippleReporterK.

A Pickle A Day May Keep Your Anxiety At Bay

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Fermented food appears to calm the nerves of the socially challenged

By Helen Thompson
smithsonian.com
Pickles, like many other fermented foods, can be an acquired taste. But, evidence suggests that might be a taste worth acquiring if you suffer from anxiety, as Rebecca Rupp reports for National Geographic.

A study in the August issue of Psychiatry Research finds that fermented foods— such as pickles, sauerkraut, and yogurt—eases the eater’s social anxiety and in particular their neuroticism. The culprit: Probiotics or healthy bacteria that ferments the food. “It is likely that the probiotics in the fermented foods are favorably changing the environment in the gut, and changes in the gut in turn influence social anxiety,” Matthew Hillimire, a psychologist at the College of William and Mary and a co-author of the study, said in a statement.

Hillmire and his colleagues enlisted 710 college students at William & Mary to record how much fermented food they ate and any symptoms of neuroticism, anxiety or social phobia that they felt over the same period. The team found a link between the amount of fermented food subjects consumed and the level of social anxiety they felt. Particularly neurotic subjects saw a decrease in their symptoms of shyness and fear of social situations when they ate more fermented food.

The study may suggest a link between fermented food and anxiety, but it’s unclear if or how the sour foods might be relieving the socially challenged, but they think the microbiome may be involced. Previous studies in mice and other animals hinted that probiotics positively influence the human gut, and that healthy gut bacteria might have some implications for the mind as well. Rupp cites studies suggesting that mice without bacteria are more anxious and susceptible to stress. Clinical trials of probiotic substances had also pointed to potential mental health benefits, but those results are less clear-cut.

The good bacteria may increase levels of chemical in the brain called GABA controls anxiety. GABA sends messages to activate the same neural pathways as compounds in anti-anxiety medication. As Rupp puts it, “In other words, if you’ve got a case of social jimjams, eating a bowl of sauerkraut may be the equivalent of popping a Valium. Or maybe even better.”

It’s worth noting that the microbial ecosystem that inhabits human bodies varies from one individual to another. Figuring out the exact cause and effect relationship between fermented food and anxiety will require further study.

So, if you’re socially challenged, a pickle might not be a cure-all, but there’s a chance it could help calm your fears.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pickle-day-may-keep-your-anxiety-bay-180955661/#ZXbS2TK0KcGHEXOD.99
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Prevent pickling problems

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Prevent pickling problems with good preparing, preserving and storing methods.

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Jeannie Nichols, Michigan State University Extension

There is an old tongue twister that you may remember.

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where’s the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?”

This rhyme was first published in London in 1813 by John Harris in Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation. If you didn’t know, a peck is one-fourth of a bushel.

This tongue twister can be hard to say and sometimes, pickles of all kinds give home canners difficulty, too. Cucumbers are a favorite food item to pickle. For a list of produce items that can be pickled visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Michigan State University Extension has some tips to help prevent pickling problems.

Preparing your pickles:

  • Use only fresh, blemish-free produce. For highest quality, pickle produce within 24 hours of picking it.
  • Rinse produce thoroughly under running lukewarm water. Do not use soap – use a vegetable brush if the produce can stand the brushing.
  • A pickling variety of cucumber produces the best quality pickles. Do not use waxed cucumbers. The wax prevents the cucumber from absorbing the brine.
  • Always remove 1/16 inch slice from the blossom end of vegetables, even though the blossom isn’t there the blossom ends have enzymes that can cause softening.

Preserving your pickles:

  • Hard water can interfere with the brining process, so use soft water. Hard water can be softened by boiling it for 15 minutes and letting it sit for 24 hours, covered. Remove the scum that appears and slowly pour the water from the container so the sediment that settles in the bottom will not be disturbed. The water is now ready to use. Distilled water can also be used.
  • Soak produce in ice water for four to five hours before pickling to make crisp pickles.
  • Use cider or white vinegar of five percent acidity. White distilled vinegar is often used for produce where clearness is desired, like onions, cauliflower and pears.
  • Use white sugar unless the recipe calls for brown. Sugar substitutes may cause bitterness or a loss of flavor. Sugar substitutes also do not plump the pickles and keep them firm like sugar.
  • Use pickling or canning salt. Other salts have an anti-caking material that can make the brine cloudy.
  • Never alter the amount of salt used in fermented pickles or sauerkraut. Fermentation depends on correct proportions of salt and other ingredients.
  • Fresh, whole spices are best to use for pickles. Powdered spices may cause the product to darken and the brine to become cloudy.
  • Firming agents, like alum or food grade lime, are not needed if fresh, high quality produce and ingredients are used, 1/16 is cut off the blossom end, the produce is soaked in ice water before pickling and up-to-date methods are followed for preparing and processing.

Storing your pickles:

  • Store processed pickles in a dark, cool, dry place.
  • For best quality and nutritive value, preserve no more than your family can eat in 12 months.

Taking the effort to prevent pickling problems is well worth your time and money. MSU Extension’s Michigan Fresh website offers free fact sheets available for download about using, storing and preserving all kinds of foods, including cucumber pickles.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu.

Jalapeños bring zing to enchiladas

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By Linda Gassenheimer, Tribune News Service

Published: July 21, 2015, 6:00 AM

www.columbian.com

Tortillas have become part of mainstream American cooking, and it’s no surprise. Whether made from flour or corn meal, they’re easy to use and are readily available.

Cooking the tomato sauce with whole jalapeño peppers gives it just a hint of hot spice. If you have a passion for hot peppers, cut them up and leave them in the sauce when it is served. If you don’t have jalapeño peppers, then just add a few drops of a hot pepper sauce.

Fred Tasker’s wine suggestion: Enchiladas with zingy jalapeños call for a wine with lots of sweet fruit; the high-acid goat cheese calls for a high-acid wine. One of the crianza-style Spanish riojas fits both bills.

Helpful Hints:

• A quick way to wash the cilantro is to immerse it in a bowl of water for several minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Lift it out of the bowl and dirt and sand will be left behind. Shake dry and use.

• Jarlsburg or cheddar cheese can be substituted for Monterey Jack.

• Minced garlic can be found in the produce section of the market or in jars in the condiment section.

Countdown:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Make enchiladas.

• While enchiladas are in oven, make salad.

Shopping List:

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.

• To buy: 1 can reduced-sodium crushed tomatoes, 1 red onion, 2 large jalapeño peppers, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat salad ¼ pound goat cheese, 1 bottle ground cumin, 1 bottle ground coriander 1 bunch fresh cilantro, 1 package frozen diced green bell pepper, 1 package frozen corn kernels 1 package 6-inch light flour tortillas and 1 package shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese.

• Staples: Minced garlic, reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing, salt and black peppercorns.

Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Makes 2 servings.

Serve with the Sweet Corn Salad as a side dish (recipe below).

For the sauce:

1½ cups reduced-sodium, canned crushed tomatoes

½ cup diced red onion, plus 2 tablespoons, divided use

2 large whole jalapeño peppers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the filling:

¼ pound goat cheese

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons minced garlic

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup frozen diced green bell pepper

4 6-inch light flour tortillas

2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil.

Make the sauce: Place crushed tomatoes, ½ cup onion and whole jalapeño peppers in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the filling: Mix goat cheese, cumin, coriander, garlic, cilantro and green bell pepper together in a bowl. Divide into 4 portions. Dip the tortillas, one at a time, into the tomato sauce. Make sure they are completely covered with sauce. Remove to the baking tray and spoon one quarter of the filling into the center of each tortilla. Roll up. Spoon half the remaining sauce over the top and cover with foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. To serve, remove jalapeño peppers from sauce left in the pan. Place 2 enchiladas on each plate and spoon remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons onions.

Per serving: 466 calories (45 percent from fat), 23.3 g fat (13.8 g saturated, 6.6 g monounsaturated), 49 mg cholesterol, 25.3 g protein, 49.2 g carbohydrates, 16.2 g fiber, 824 mg sodium.

Sweet Corn Salad

Makes 2 servings.

1 cup frozen corn kernels

4 cups washed, ready-to-eat salad

2 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing

Defrost corn by placing it in a colander and running hot water through it or microwave on high 2 minutes. Add to the salad and toss with the dressing.

Per serving: 87 calories (18 percent from fat), 1.8 g fat (0.2 g saturated, 0.5 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 3.3 g protein, 17.9 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g fiber, 14 mg sodium.Goat Cheese Enhiladas with Jalapenos

Growing Cascabella Peppers

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Cascabella is a popular variety of Chili pepper, which belongs to the Capsicum genus (Capsicum annuum longum group ‘Cascabella’). This variety is an Vegetable that typically grows as anAnnual, which is defined as a plant that matures and completes its lifecycle over the course of a single year. Cascabella normally grows to a max height of 1.49 feet (45.72 cm metric).

Mexico is believed to be where Cascabella originates from.

Cascabella Chili pepper is normally fairly low maintenance and is normally quite easy to grow, as long as a level of basic care is provided throughout the year. Being aware of the basic soil, sun and water preferences will result in a happier and healthier plant.

How to grow Cascabella

  • Full Sun

  • Medium

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Cascabella is thought of as tender, so it is really important to ensure that the outside temperature is well above freezing before planting or moving outdoors. The USDA Hardiness Zones typically associated with Cascabella are Zone 5 and Zone 12. Ensure your soil is loamy and sandy and has a ph of between 7.0 and 8.5 as Chili pepper is a neutral soil to weakly alkaline soil loving plant.

Growing Cascabella from seed

Look to ensure a distance 1.95 inches (5.0 cm) between seeds when sowing – bury at a depth of at least 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) deep. Soil temperature should be kept higher than 18°C / 64°F to ensure good germination.By our calculations, you should look at sowing Cascabella about 38 days before your last frost date.

Transplanting Cascabella

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Cascabella is a tender plant.

Harvesting Cascabella

Other Names for Chili pepper ‘Cascabella’

Cascabel

Pick a Pickle

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Red state or blue state, it doesn’t matter because we’re all green! Almost everyone likes pickles (86%), especially Baby Boomers (90%). Dill has universal appeal, and is favored more than 2 to 1 over any other kind of pickle. Bread & Butter comes in distant second (21%), though only 12% of millennials pick Bread & Butter as their favorite.

Forty-one percent of Americans say their favorite way to eat pickles is on a sandwich or burger, though straight from the jar is a close second (39%). Interestingly, busy households with kids ages 13-17 are more likely to eat them right out of the jar (42%) vs. on a sandwich (34%).

While nearly everyone knows you can pickle cucumbers (84%), the majority doesn’t know or think about pickling other foods.  Most people (84%) didn’t know or think they could pickle crabapples, but the newly released 37th edition of the Ball Blue Book has over 30 recipes for pickling alone, including Crabapple Pickles.

– Research conducted by ORC International on behalf of the iconic Ball® brand canning line

Okra Pickled in the Mexican Fashion recipe

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By Judy Walker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
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A recipe printed in 1997 originated with chef Katie Sutton ofTthe Hess Collection Winery in Napa Valley.

Okra Pickled in the Mexican Fashion

Makes 6 pints

1 pound okra

1/4 cup salt

6 cups water

3 cups cider vinegar

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

10 garlic cloves

1 cup vegetable oil

7 bay leaves

1 bunch each marjoram and thyme

2 stems oregano

Salt to taste

1 pound jalapeno peppers

1 pound carrots, thinly sliced

Pierce okra in several spots and sprinkle with the one-fourth cup salt. Cover with cold water and let stand for two hours; drain.

In a large pot, combine water, vinegar, onions, garlic, oil, bay leaves, marjoram, thyme, oregano and salt to taste. Bring to a boil; add jalapenos, carrots and okra. Return to a boil; then ladle into hot, sterilized jars to within one-eighth inch of the top. Attach sterilized lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for seven minutes, according to lid manufacturer’s instructions.

Store in a cool, dark place. Prepare at least one week before using; their best flavor develops in three to four weeks.

Nothing Says “I Love Pickles” Like a Celebration Devoted Entirely to PICKLES!

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Get Your Fill Of Pickled Treats At First-Ever Picklesburgh

by  David Highfield – http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Who doesn’t love a good pickle?!

The pickle is part of Pittsburgh’s heritage.

And this weekend there is a perfect opportunity to celebrate all things pickled.
The first Picklesburgh festival is going on.

Today on the Rachel Carson Bridge, there was a giant inflatable pickle that had people stopping to snap a picture.

So what’s the big “dill”?

“Whether you’re a pickle aficionado, or pickle curious, we invite you to come on down to Picklesburgh,” said Leigh White with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

It’s all part of the festival bringing nothing but pickles.

“Whether it’s pickled cucumbers, pickled produce,fruits, pickled ice cream, pickled cookies, it’s going to be a great time,” said White.

And it’s all topped off with an amazing 35-foot pickle balloon, made to resemble the original Heinz Pickle pin.

The custom-built balloon was built by the team that also crafts balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“We’re excited that the blimp is in the air and you can come down and see it in real life, get your picture with the pickle,” said Jennifer Owen with Flyspace Productions.

So if you were ever thinking about learning how to pickle, this is the weekend to do it.

“It’s going to be the best two days ever!” said one pickle lover.

There’s going to be live demonstrations, a pickle juice drinking competition, in addition toentertainment and vendors featuring pickles in every kind of variety.

And the people organizing Picklesburgh hope this year is just the first of many Pickleburghs to come.