Pickles

About a week ago I traveled over to the Lafayette farmers market to visit my friend Suzy who was selling her very own flavored sugars. I passed a farmer selling his pickling cucumbers 5 for $1.00!!! I bought ten and decided I was going to try my hand at home made pickles. I wanted to make sour, salty and crisp pickles - the ones you get from a jar in the supermarket or a good deli...so I am currently fermenting a large jar of pickles in a quiet dark corner of my house. I tasted them yesterday and they are already on their way to becoming my next beloved salty crispy (and naturally fermented) obsession! I modified a recipe from Sandor Katz's book "Wild Fermentation"

Around 8 small to medium pickling cucumbers - washed really well and cut lengthwise into quarters

1 Head of Garlic - peeled

1 Bunch of fresh Dill

3 Tb. Sea Salt

1 Quart Water

1 Pinch Whole Black Peppercorns

Wash all containers very well and thouroughly in hot hot water. I placed the dill at the bottom of the jar with the garlic and layered in the cucumbers. I then poured the salty brine and peppercorns into the jar. It is important to make sure that all the ingredients are submerged in the brine. Place a jar or plate that will fit inside the mouth of the large jar (I used a mason jar) to press down on the cucumbers submerging them in the brine. Then you cover with a light towel and place in a cool dark area. Check jar every day and skim off any mold that appears washing the inserted plate or jar and replace, cover. Sandor Katz says that you can leave it like this for 3-4 weeks and then transfer to the refrigerator for slower fermentation. I have tasted mine a couple times and they are defenitely on their way! It has been one week and they have turned dark green and crispy, flavorful already!