Wayne Boatwright wrote:
....
> I only make "new pickles" with dill and garlic and therefore only
> make 1 or 2 pints at a time because even when refrigerated they
> "ripen" too quickly for my taste and the saltiness can become
> overwhelming. I'm the only one in the house that eats them.

i don't think the salt is required for anything other
than the taste so you could always use less or none at
all.

have you tried Pickle Crisp (a calcium additive which
helps keep things crunchier)? i've not bothered with it
as we'll eat dill pickles in about any form short of
slime mold.


> The only other pickles I make are bread & butter, and I usually make
> a dozen pints or so. We don't have a garden, so I must buy all my
> produce. One source I have usually has fresh Kirby cucumbers.

we made many quarts of bread and butter pickles last year
and the year before, but this year with my brother trying to
avoid extra sugar we're not planning on making any of those.


> When I can get really nice green beans I make dilly beans, both
> savory and sweet/spicy versions.

i like dilly beans, but generally canned beans of any
kind are not high on my list of edibles. more like
emergency rations in case of disaster or something like
that. most things sweet and sour i'd like and adding
a little heat to them is good too.


songbird