I must be one of the luckiest (some say “craziest”) people on earth. I get to spend several weeks of the summer teaching cooking classes to kids at summer camp. Not only do I get to encourage kids to play with their food, I also get to inspire them to try new flavors and learn about how their food choices affect their bodies and the planet. Their enthusiasm is contagious and I have to practically body block them as they clamor for additional helpings of the foods that we prepare.
Today, our theme was Picnic Foods. We made some fantastic Parmesan Popovers (thanks, Giada!), fruit salad, French Potato Salad and Homemade Lemonade. We also prepared some pickles that we plan to enjoy at the end of the week. The children LOVED using the cucumbers that came from last week’s Farmer’s Market field trip. Unlike any cucumbers they have ever seen before, these were long, skinny, striped and full of ridges. Even though the hot vinegar made our eyes water, the results in the jar made our mouths water even more. We can’t wait until Friday, when we get to taste the finished product.
Homemade Refrigerator Pickles
3 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
salt for sprinkling on cucumbers
2 tsp. salt (for brine solution)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
4 small cucumbers
1 1/2 cups dill fronds
Optional: tender green beans
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and lightly sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Slice 4 small cucumbers into thin slices.
- Arrange sliced cucumbers in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt.
- Cover with another layer of paper towels.
- Let stand 15 minutes, then pat dry.
- In a medium saucepan (or electric skillet, if you are teaching in a classroom!) combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seed, turmeric and celery seed.
- Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
- Arrange cucumber slices and 1 1/2 cups fresh dill fronds in a jar.
- If you want to add other fresh veggies from your garden (such as tender green beans), add them to the jar now.
- Pour hot brine into the jar to completely cover cucumber and seal the jar.
- Refrigerate.
- You can eat these in as soon as 2 hours or up to a week from now. The flavor will grow stronger if you let them “marinate” for a few days.
I may try this, since we have cucumbers and dill in our garden!
Our school had a new greenhouse last year, so the students were able to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, and basil to supplement the school lunch program and to share with village elders. We made this recipe and the pickles turned out great. The kids had fun making them and loved the way they tasted. We teachers thought it was simple enough to do with a group. We will be making them again in a couple of weeks. Yum.
Thanks Susan. I love the photos you shared with me of your greenhouse! It is amazing what you can grow in your short sunny season in Alaska! Thanks for visiting!