This week’s box contains: more kale – both the Red Russian and curly green, some more lettuce, several small summer squash, one large zucchini, a huge cucumber,  a beautiful head of cabbage, a bunch of green onions and – my daughter’s favorite – some broccoli! Still quite green, but you can tell the subtle variations of the season are now appearing. While the green cabbage was definitely a fun one – and in the weeks to come, I’ll be showing you how to make much more than that same boring cole slaw, I had been waiting anxiously for the cucumber. And I waited even longer to run by the Farmer’s Market on Saturday to grab a couple of extras before sharing them with you.

While cucumbers are great raw, with or without dips and alone or atop a big (green) salad, I’ve been craving some fried pickles and was eager to get a batch going. Yes, fried foods can be “real foods” – the secret is all in the technique. And I have an amazing fried pickle recipe – seriously amazing! Regardless, I’ve still got a few weeks before I can enjoy these babies. For now, they are settling in the fridge, mellowing in all kinds of juicy tangy goodness, as they turn from cucumber slices to crisp pickles. When I fry them, I’ll let you know. Of course, you’ll want to get your own batch going so you’re ready. It is simple, relatively quick, and absolutely worth the effort!

First, slice the cucumbers. Personal preference dictates the thickness, but I like to keep mine under 1/8 inch so they don’t get that slimy texture later. Whatever you decide, make sure they are uniform so they’ll be ready at the same time! Set all the slices in a big bowl. I used 4 cucumbers, but you can easily adjust the recipe to match your crop.

In a saucepan, combine equal parts of vinegar and water. (You’ll want to use the natural apple cider vinegar, not the distilled white stuff, which is unsuitable for food use.) For each cup of water and vinegar, use 1 T pickling spice (make your own below), 3 T pickling salt (no need to go buy something new – give your sea salt a shir in the blender and you’re all set) and a tablespoon or two of sugar (of course, natural and organic) For my 4 large cucumbers, I used 2 cups apple sider vinegar, 2 cups water, a scant 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup salt and 2 T pickling spice.

Bring to a boil then pour over the sliced cucumbers. Don’t worry if you don’t seem to have enough to cover them. The cucumbers will soften and you’ll find you had plenty of the mixture. Place a cloth over the top of the bowl and leave them to sit until they are cool. (First pic is right after I poured the mixture over the slices; the second is after they had cooled.)

Get your jars ready. Don’t worry – we won’t be canning these! They go in the fridge. Make sure they are clean and I like to add about a half a teaspoon of dill weed into the bottom of each jar for a little extra flavor.

When the cucumbers are cool, begin stacking them in the jars, making sure to stuff them well without overpacking your jars. Leave about 1/4 – 1/2 inch of room at the top. Make sure the pickles are covered with the vinegar mixture. Place your lids on top and stick in the fridge.

They can be used within a week, but are better if you can be patient for about a month. They can spoil, so make sure they are gone by 12-13 weeks.

Pickling Spice – You can take your chances with a spice blend. I personally love the Frontier brand. Or you can just toss together your own. Don’t worry if you don’t have every single spice in the mix – use it as your chance to personalize the blend and make it your own! Toss in something else you love that you have on hand. I usually aim for: 1-2 T dill seeds or weed, 1-2 T mustard seeds or about 1 t powder, 1/2 t red pepper flakes, 1 t cloves or a dash of clove powder, 3-5 bay leaves, 1/2 t cinnamon, 2 t coriander and about 1 T peppercorns (whole). This makes quite a bit, so if you make a batch now, it will last all season.