What, no ice cream?

I usually don't think about pickles until summer, but these beautiful kirby cucumbers at Citarella caught my eye the other day and I couldn't help myself. Best of all, with baby girl Parker's due date just 33 days away (yikes!), my batch of bread and butter pickles will be ready in time for Mom to pile them on top of a bowlful of Haagen-Dazs. 

Bread and Butter are my favorite variety in the world of pickles. Always made from sliced cucumbers and heated in their brine, they're also the fastest to make. I love them because they're sweet and crunchy- plus, you can make them as spicy as you want (a little jalapeno mixed in the brine does the trick for me).

Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

2.5 lbs Kirby cucumbers, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced
1 green peppers, seeded and diced

1 red jalapeno, chopped whole
1/2 cup kosher salt

4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 Tablespoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
3 cups cider vinegar

2 cups white wine vinegar 

Toss cucumbers, onions, peppers and salt in a colander. Place the colander in a bowl and place another bowl on top of the vegetables. Fill the top bowl with heavy cans and place in refrigerator for 3 hours. 

Meanwhile, wash and sterilize 6 (1-quart) jars and closures, stand on a baking sheet, and keep hot in a 250-degree F. oven until needed.
 
Mix sugar and spices in a stainless steel pot. Drain vegetables well and add to the pot. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to just below the boiling point.
 
Add the boiling hot mixture into jars and fill to within 1/8-inch of tops, wipe rims, and seal. Cool, check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Let stand approximately 2 weeks before serving.

I added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 teaspoon chili flakes to my leftover brine and am giving spicy green bean pickles a try too. They should take around 4 weeks, maybe.

...gotta get them serilized and into glass today!