Seeing what the cucumbers really look like...

When you are an entrepreneur or gambler (aren't they really the same thing??), when considering a new project, you form a vision and then dive in, head first, knowing that the whole deal is a crapshoot until YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT THE WHOLE THING LOOKS LIKE. The past six months of tremendous growth and adventure for AngelFood can be largely attributed to that philosophy and I've had a whole bunch of new adventures myself...

One evening, last summer, a friend shared with me the tastiest gherkins I have ever had. And I don't like gherkins, by the way. These tiny pickled cucumbers tasted of sweet goodness and spices, such as allspice with a touch of cinnamon. Even after we ravaged the whole jar, I wanted more.

As some of you know, last summer was The Summer of Frontier Woman and I was foraging and making lots of my own kitchen goodness, so, of course, I needed to make my own gherkins.

The first step was to get my hands on the cukes. Even I know that mini, baby, tiny cukes are NOT the same product as kirby cukes (that we pickle) or garden cukes (that get made into salad). I've never seen the raw cukes at a farmer's market or even a roadside stand. The best info on anything of vegetative nature, is always found by contacting my big sister, Carol, who lives on her own plot of goat-raising, garden-harvesting, solar-paneled, bio-fueled land, in the middle of a cornfield in Indiana.


The desperate (on my part) conversation went a bit like this,

J: "Where can I get the plants??!!" (like a contraband-seeking junkie)

C:  (Calmly, because she's so used to this)"[sigh] "You can't. Even if you could find those particular plants, it's too late in the season. You'll have to get your own seeds, next year, and grow your own."

NEXT YEAR??!!

I searched the internet this winter only to find that true gherkins are really round and spiny, and the size of an egg. Thinking a bit deeper, I changed my search to "cornichons", which are different (when prepared) than gherkins. Cornichons are very, very tart, tiny pickled cucumbers whose acidity is often used to cut the richness in pate'. I found exactly what I was looking for from an heirloom seed company. I bought 2 different types.

We planted the seeds in window boxes this spring. This was much better than the original plan, which was to warn The Mister that he might come home from work one day to find the driveway lined with baby pools filled with dirt and cornichon seeds.

The seeds germinated quickly and after 3 true leaves formed, I set to pinching off any leaves below blossoms. Fruits developed behind the flowers (if the flowers got pollinated-thank you bugs, they did!).




 When I realized that my yield was not anywhere near what the recipe called for, I planted more. It was a good lesson to teach my daughter about practice. The lesson was this: This was the first year we tried this and we might have to do it all differently next year when we really see what this looks like. I have to adapt my recipe to a much smaller, simpler recipe to adapt to pickling one jar at a time.

I'll have to pick the cucumbers earlier than I think, if they are to remain small and uber-delicious. Some of them are getting gigantic for gherkins. I have purchased cippolini onions to add to the jar and at times, may add green bean bits. Maybe one jar will have a Scotch Bonnet Pepper grown by my friend, the Gherkin Pusher, herself.


In order to keep the pickles crisp, they are not subjected to a heat-packing method. For sweet gherkins, the process takes at least 4 days and as long as 14. I have seen recipes for sour cornichons in which they are salted and drained (to remove excess fluid which will detract from their crispness) and then packed into a jar with seasoning and a good (6% acidity) white vinegar.
 

Here's the recipe Carol sent me with a note written on it:"Have fun! Maybe next year...Love, Carol"

Funny thing is, next week I am having dinner with Carol and her youngest, in Chicago. Guess what we're having for dessert? You guessed it. Gherkins. All four of them.



Sweet Gherkins

Yield 7 to 8 pints



About 7 pounds of cucumbers, 1 1/2 to 3 inches in length

1/2 cup, pure granulated salt

8 cups sugar

1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) vinegar (white is my choice)

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons celery seed

2 teaspoons whole mixed pickling spice

8 1-inch pieces of cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (optional--no thank you)

2 teaspoons vanilla (optional) I have good stuff from Mexico that might make it into a jar...



First day:

Morning, Wash cucumbers thoroughly and scrub with a veg. brush. Drain, place in a large container and cover with boiling water for 6 to 8 hours.

Afternoon: Drain, cover with fresh, boiling water.



Second day:

Morning: Drain, cover with fresh, boiling water.

Afternoon: Drain, add salt, cover with fresh boiling water.



Third day:

Morning: Drain, prick cukes in several places with a table fork. Make sirup (it's an old recipe) of 3 cups of the sugar and 3 cups of the vinegar. Add turmeric and spices. Heat to boiling and pour over cucumbers. Cucumbers will be partially covered at this point.

Afternoon: Drain sirup into pan; add 2 cups of the sugar and 2 cups of the vinegar to sirup. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles.



Fourth Day:

Morning: Drain sirup into pan; add 2 cups of the sugar and 1 cup of the vinegar to sirup. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles.

Afternoon: Drain sirup into pan; add remaining 1 cups sugar and the vanilla to sirup; heat to boiling. Pack pickles into clean, hot pint jars and cover with boiling sirup to 1/2-inch to top of jar. Adjust jar lids.



Process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath. Time starts when water returns to boiling. Remove jars and complete seals, if necessary. Set jars upright, several inches apart, on a wire rack to cool.



For tart Cornichons courtesy of Auberge of the Flowering Hearth...
Wash your cucumbers and put them into a crock. Soak overnight in heavily salted water. Next day, drain and dry them well. Pack them into a clean crock (or heat proof jar). Cover them with a good (at least 6% acid) vinegar. Pour off the vinegar into an enameled pan, add 1 half cup more vinegar and bring to a rolling boil. Pour the vinegar over the cucumbers and let this sit, covered, for 24 hours. Repeat three times.
After the third time, allow to sit for at least 6 weeks before eating.
Adding grape leaves to the crock is also recommended to aid in crispness.

I would like you to know that "real" cornichons usually contain onion, mustard seeds, tarragon, and perhaps some coriander seed. Some chefs have been known to sneak a hot pepper in there, also.