Diacks Nursery

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7 lb Cucumbers -- (1-1/2 inch or less)
1/2 c salt
8 c Sugar
6 c Vinegar (5 percent)
3/4 ts Turmeric
2 ts Celery seeds
2 ts Whole mixed pickling spice
2 Cinnamon sticks
1/2 ts Fennel (optional)
2 ts Vanilla (optional)
|Yield: 6 to 7 pints

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-inch of stem attached. Place cucumbers in large container and cover with boiling water. Six to 8 hours later, and on the second day, drain and cover with 6 quarts of fresh boiling water containing 1/4-cup salt. On the third day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork. Combine and bring to boil 3 cups vinegar, 3 cups sugar, turmeric, and spices. Pour over cucumbers. Six to 8 hours later, drain and save the pickling syrup. Add another 2 cups each of sugar and vinegar and reheat to boil. Pour over pickles. On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles. Drain and save pickling syrup 6 to 8 hours later. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla and heat to boiling. Fill sterile pint jars, with pickles and cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. For more information on sterilizing jars see "Jars and Lids". Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1, or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment. (For more information see "Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment".)

GRANDAD DIACK'S GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups of diced, firm, green tomatoes
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Combine all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for about 1 hour, until thickened.
Spoon chutney into hot sterilized jars, putting lids on as you go. To create the best chutney process for 15 minutes in boiling-water.

ICEBERG LETTUCE SOUP

6 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. finely silvered virginia ham
1 head firm iceberg lettuce, broken into 4" chunks
1 egg, lightly beaten

Bring broth to boil. Add ham and lower heat to simmer for 3 minutes. Raise heat to a boil and add lettuce. When lettuce starts to wilt, add egg and lower heat to simmer, while stirring until egg coagulates. Serve immediately.