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Show jfllDES ifp IT" By HELEN HALE ONLY FRESH, CRISP cucumbers cucum-bers and other vegetables should b used for pickling. Many tough pickles result from picking the vegetables too lonff before they are used. To sterilize jars for pickles, wash them thoroughly In hot, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly, then place them in a large vessel, cover cov-er with water and bring to a boil. Let boil for 10 minutes. Remove jars with prongs and place on clean towels to drain. Don't use last year's spices for pickling, since they lose flavor on standing. Fresh spices add all that can be desired in flavor. RECIFE OF THE WEEK -Bread and Butter Pickles 25 medium-sized cucumbers, sliced 12 onions, sliced 1 1 quart vinegar 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons mustard seed 2 tablespoons turmeric 2 teaspoons celery seed 2 teaspoons cassia buds Soak cucumbers and onions in ice water, to which has been added cup of salt, for three hours. Scald' vinegar with remaining re-maining ingredients. Add the cucumbers and onions and heat through. Pour into sterile jars and seal. Cider vinegar, is indicated for all pickles except onions. This should be good and strong vinegar so the pickles will be crisp and well-flavored. well-flavored. Cooking salt is preferred to table salt in pickling since it contains con-tains no chemicals which may disturb dis-turb color or crispness in pickles. Soaking cucumbers in ice water to which salt has been added helps to make pickles crisp. Even if the recipe says simply to soak them in water, use ice if you want firm pickles. . Whenever possible use soft water In making pickles. Hard water may prevent proper curing of pickles; also it contains minerals which may turn the pickles dark.. Preservatives and colors are not used in good pickle making. Good recipes, however, and following directions properly will give you the texture and color yon want in pickles. |