The First.

So, today, I was contacted by a friend suggesting I consider writing a "blog" about education, cooking, gardening, set dancing and a variety of other "stuff" which others may find interesting.

The first post will of course be concerned with gherkins. Or cucumbers. And the pickling thereof. This is my first ever time of pickling gherkins and is based on previous pickling forays.

1. Harvest gherkins of various sizes. We have never grown them before, but were given plants by another allotmenteer. They are planted in our polytunnel. The flowers are VERY attractive to bees. We have hundreds of fruits.
2. Prepare brine: 4 ounces of salt to 2 pints of water. heat until salt dissolves. Cool.
3. Prepare gherkins. Wash them to remove surface dirt and prickles.  We (my mother and I), left the diddy ones whole, the slightly larger ones sliced acrossways, and the largest sliced longways. Immerse the fruit in brine overnight. 
4. Next day, drain fruit and pack into clean heated jars. Pour on  cold, distilled, spiced vinegar and seal. 

We'll come back to the gherkins when we know the outcome re taste, crunchiness, spiciness etc. 
Tomorrow is another day. Watch this space.