Things Mother Used to Make/Pickles

by Lydia Maria Gurney

PICKLES

Pickled Cauliflower

• 1 Cauliflower
• 2 Tablespoonfuls of Salt
• 1 Quart of Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoonful of Whole Cloves
• 1 Teaspoonful of White Mustard Seed

Pull the cauliflower into pieces, put into cold water with the salt, heat gradually and boil five minutes, then drain until dry. Put this into a glass jar. Boil the clove and mustard seed in the vinegar, and pour into the cauliflower, hot. Have it covered with vinegar. Seal while hot.

Green Chopped, Pickle, No. 1

• 1 Peck of Green Tomatoes
• 6 Large Onions
• 4 Green Peppers
• 2 Red Peppers
• 2 Pounds of Brown Sugar
• 4 Bunches of Celery
• 3 Pints of Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoonfuls of Allspice
• 2 Tablespoonfuls of Whole Cloves
• 2 Sticks of Cinnamon

Put the tomatoes, onions, and peppers through the meat-grinder, or chop fine, and sprinkle over them one cupful of salt. Let stand over night. In the morning drain off the water, put in the other ingredients, and let come to the boiling-point, then add one ten-cent bottle of horse-radish. Seal in jars having a glass top.

Green Chopped Pickle, No. 2

• 1 Peck of Green Tomatoes
• 2 Large Cauliflowers
• 1 Head of White Cabbage
• 3 Pounds of Sugar
• Vinegar
• 6 Red Peppers (Seeded)
• 5 Large Onions
• 1 Cupful of Salt
• ½ Ounce of White Mustard Seed
• ½ Ounce of Whole Cloves
• ½ Ounce of Celery Seed
• 1 Dessertspoonful of Ground Mace

Put through the meat-grinder, or chop, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, and peppers. Sprinkle over these one cupful of salt and let stand over night. In the morning drain off water, cover with vinegar, and add the other ingredients. Cook until tender.

Chili Sauce, No. 1

• 6 Ripe Tomatoes
• 1 Onion
• 4 Green Peppers
• 1 Tablespoonful of Sugar
• 1 Tablespoonful of Salt
• 1½ Cupfuls of Vinegar

Chop, or put through the meat-grinder, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, add sugar, salt, and vinegar. Boil one hour and seal in jars.

Chili Sauce, No. 2

• 1 Quart of Ripe Tomatoes
• 1 Cupful of Cider Vinegar
• 1 Onion
• 1 Red Pepper
• 2 Teaspoonfuls of Salt
• 2 Teaspoonfuls of White Sugar

Chop, or put through the grinder, the onion and pepper, then add the other ingredients and cook one hour, uncovered.

Chili Sauce, No. 3

• 8 or 9 Large Ripe Tomatoes
• 1 Large Onion
• 2 Red Peppers
• 1 Teaspoonful of Cloves
• 1 Teaspoonful of Allspice
• 1 Nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoonful of Salt
• 2 Tablespoonfuls of Sugar
• 1 Teaspoonful of Ginger
• 1 Teaspoonful of Cinnamon
• 2 Small Cupfuls of Vinegar

Chop the onion and peppers fine, mix all together, and cook half an hour. Bottle while hot.

Chow Chow, No. 1

• ½ Peck Green Tomatoes
• 1 Large Head of Cabbage
• 6 Large Onions
• ½ Pint Grated Horse-radish
• ¼ Pound of White Mustard Seed
• ¼ Cupful of Ground Black Pepper
• ½ Ounce of Celery Seed
• 2 Pounds of Brown Sugar
• 3 Quarts of Vinegar
• 1 Cupful of Salt

Chop or grind tomatoes, cabbage and onions, very fine and salt over night. Next day, drain off the brine, add vinegar and other ingredients, then mix well and put into glass jars. Do not cook.

Chow Chow, No. 2

• 1 Peck of Green Tomatoes
• 1 Cupful of Salt
• 6 Onions
• 6 Peppers
• 1 Cupful of Sugar
• Vinegar enough to cover
• 1 Tablespoonful of Cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoonful of Cloves
• 1 Tablespoonful of Allspice
• 1 Even Spoonful of Ginger

Cut the tomatoes, onions and peppers into small pieces. Put the salt over them and let stand over night. Drain off the liquor the next day and throw it away. Mix all together, cover with vinegar and simmer until tender. Seal in glass jars.

Cold Catsup

• 1 Peck of Ripe Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoonfuls of Salt
• 1 Teacupful of White Mustard Seed
• 2 Teacupfuls of Chopped or Ground Onions
• 1 Teacupful of Sugar
• 2 Tablespoonfuls of Pepper
• 4 Red Peppers
• 8 Celery Stalks, or
• 2 Ounces of Celery Seed
• 2 Teaspoonfuls of Ground Cloves
• 3 Pints of Vinegar

Drain the tomatoes well before mixing. Mix together, let stand a few hours and it is ready for use.

Corn Relish

• 18 Ears of Corn
• 1 Onion
• 1 Cabbage
• ¼ Pound of Mustard
• 1 Pint of Vinegar
• 4 Cupfuls of Sugar
• ½ Cupful of Salt
• 2 Peppers

Cut the corn from the cob, chop onion, peppers and cabbage, add sugar, salt and vinegar, and cook slowly three-quarters of an hour. Ten minutes before taking from the fire, add a very scant fourth of a pound of dissolved mustard. Seal in glass jars.

Home-Made Cucumber Pickles

Take enough small cucumbers to fill four one-quart jars; wash and sprinkle over them one cupful of table salt; let them remain over night; in the morning, wash and pack in the jars. Add one teaspoonful of whole cloves, one teaspoonful of whole allspice, one teaspoonful of white mustard seed, and two pieces of alum, as large as a pea, to each jar. Fill the jars with boiling vinegar, and seal.

Quickly Made Cucumber Pickle

Take small cucumbers, wipe clean and lay them in a small jar or stone crock. Allow one quart of coarse salt to a pail of water. Boil the salt and water until the salt is dissolved, skim and pour boiling hot on the cucumbers. Cover them tight, and let them stand twenty-four hours, then turn out and drain. Boil as much vinegar as will cover the cucumbers, skimming thoroughly. Put the cucumbers into clean glass jars and pour the vinegar on boiling hot. Put in a piece of alum the size of a bean, and seal. They will be ready for use in forty-eight hours. Add peppers and spice if desired.

Mixed Pickles

• 2 Quarts of Green Tomatoes
• 2 Quarts of Cucumbers
• 2 Quarts of Small Onions
• 2 Heads of Cauliflower
• 2 Green Peppers
• 1 Gallon of Vinegar
• ½ Pound of Ground Mustard
• 3 Cupfuls of Sugar
• 1 Ounce of Tumeric Powder
• 1 Cupful of Flour
• 1 Cupful of Salt

Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cauliflower and peppers into small pieces. Pour over them boiling brine, made of three quarts of water and one cupful of salt. Let this stand twenty-four hours, then pour off the brine. Stir the flour, mustard, sugar and tumeric powder together, and wet with a little of the vinegar, then stir it into the boiling vinegar, as you would make gravy. Put the other ingredients in, and simmer together until all are tender. Seal in glass jars.

Piccalilli, No. 1

• 1 Peck of Green Tomatoes
• 3 Pints of Vinegar
• ½ Pint of Green Peppers
• 1½ Cupfuls of Sugar
• ½ Cupful of Salt
• 2 Large Spoonfuls of Ground Cloves

Chop all together and simmer three hours.

Piccalilli, No. 2

• 1 Peck of Green Tomatoes
• 4 Onions
• 2 Green Peppers
• 1 Ounce of Whole Cloves, Allspice, and Mustard Seed
• Vinegar to cover
• 1 Cupful of Salt

Slice the tomatoes, sprinkle over the salt, and let stand over night. In the morning, pour off the water and drain. Slice peppers and onions, tie the spices in a piece of cheese-cloth, put all together, and pour over the vinegar. Let simmer three or four hours, and seal in glass jars. Very good, and not sweetened.

Piccalilli, No. 3

• 1 Peck of Green Tomatoes
• 1 Cupful of Salt
• 6 Onions
• 4 Green Peppers
• Allspice, Cloves and Mustard Seed
• Vinegar

Wipe clean, cut into small pieces, sprinkle over them a cupful of salt, and let stand over night. In the morning, drain off the liquor, add six onions, four green peppers, sliced thin, one ounce each, of whole allspice, cloves, and white mustard seed. Tie the spices in a muslin bag, cover with vinegar, and cook three or four hours slowly, until very tender, in an agate kettle. This is much nicer if sealed in glass jars.

Tomato Catsup, No. 1

• 1 Peck of Ripe Tomatoes
• 8 Onions
• 6 Red Peppers
• 6 Cupfuls of Vinegar
• 2 Cupfuls of Sugar
• ½ Cupful of Salt

Chop or grind onions and peppers. Put with tomatoes, stew and press through colander, then add the rest of the ingredients and boil until it is thick. Seal while hot in glass jars.

Tomato Catsup, No. 2

• 1 Pint of Vinegar
• 2 Quarts of Ripe Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoonful of Salt
• 1 Tablespoonful of Mustard
• 1 Tablespoonful of Black Pepper
• Allspice
• 2 Pods Red Pepper

Peel the tomatoes, add salt, black pepper, mustard, red pepper, and allspice. Mix and stew slowly, in the vinegar for two hours. Strain through a sieve, and cook until you have one quart. Cork in bottles.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

Pare off the green rind and all the pink, using just the white of the melon. Cut into large squares. Cover with water, and put in a pinch of alum. Let stand twenty-four hours. Pour off the water and drain. Take enough vinegar to cover, add one teaspoonful of whole allspice, cloves and white mustard seed, and pour over the rind boiling hot. Heat the vinegar three mornings in succession, and pour over the rind while hot. It will be ready for use in a week.