Friday, August 18, 2017

Refrigerator Pickles

Dear Country Mouse,

I was recently making pickles and thought I'd send you the recipe. I feel like I got too large of cucumbers this year though. It might have been worth the extra few dollars to get the smaller ones, but oh well, it just took more work to get them to fit in the jar.





Refrigerator Pickles 
In a very clean 1 gallon jar place a washed strand of fresh dill weed
If you don't have fresh use a tablespoon of dried.
Add roughly 4 lb. pickling cucumbers washed (they are all over at the farmers market right now)
4 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 cup salt
1 + 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon black pepper corns
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole allspice
a few cloves
6-8 cups water or until jar is full.
optional: pepper flakes or a couple fresh hot peppers,
fresh strand tarragon. 
Cover with wax paper and fasten with string or a rubber band.
Let sit out for two days, out of direct sunlight, then refrigerate for up to two months.

Recipe is re posted from this post.


Anyway, miss you like always!

                    Love,
                          City Mouse


PS

Isn't this a wonderful kitchen island? I was looking on pinertest as I am hoping to build one, one of these days...

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Summer Gardening


Dear Country Mouse,

I posted these pictures on my other blog, but I really want to send them to you too! I have spent loads of time in my garden this summer, though I have to say its getting warmer and I doubt my gardening itch will last much longer. I always think of our English garden dreams when I'm out there. I have been listening to an audio book of Kate Mortan's The Secret Keeper and indulging it the narrator's lovely British accent.
I listened to another one of her books last winter during the slow days at the food truck. I believe it was The Lake House. I don't know if you're a sucker for British mysteries like me, but gosh I have a soft spot for them.

Anyway, here are the photos...
 snap dragon
 nasturtium
 crocosmia
 shasta daisy
 gladiola
 spearmint

 French lavender
 strawberry
 shasta daisy
 sugar pumpkin
 Japanese eggplant
 cherry tomato

How are all those succulents we transplanted when I was visiting?  Has summer been to rough on them?

Love you and miss you!

            City Mouse