WOYWW 235, Crochet & Pickles

Two for one this week for WOYWW.

Here's my crafty bit, the result of my crochet ideas where I've made some covers for simple boring looking retractable tape measures. I think they'll make good quick and easy to make fundraisers.

For nosey folk there are lots and lots more over at 

Julia's headquarters, the Stamping Ground 

so get there pdq for a good old nosey!

I think I have the pongiest desk on the block this week. The house stinks, my hands stink, everywhere reeks but I don't mind in the least as I've had my annual pickle making fest and I LOVE them. Here's the evidence.

Maybe you'd like to do some for yourself, if you can get pickling onions (not shallots) they're hard to find as no one seems bothered making them these days, so I'll add my "how to do" at the bottom of this post.

Here are the stages of my labours....
anyone remember Hilda Baker and Nellie Pledge's pickling factory? "Eeeewwh, I must get a little finger on me watch"... You'd have to have seen it to know it!!!

Here's some of the results... a good stock for family and friends to share,

and very wrinkly fingers after all that peeling and water.

 Here's my way of pickling onions, taught to me by my Little Nin, my grandmother, who died aged 87 around 1970.

I used about 5lbs of pickling onions and 2 litres of Malt Vinegar which produced 15 jars of varying sizes.
The quantities may vary as smaller onions pack closely into the jars so therefore need less vinegar.

First, top and tail the onions and, as you go along, pop them into cold water to loosen the skins.

Then remove every trace of the skins and place them into brine... that's a saturated solution of salt which is made by adding as much cooking salt to water until no more will dissolve.

Place a plate on top of the onions to keep them all immersed and leave for 24 hours.

Meanwhile, put 2 litres of malt vinegar into a large stainless steel pan and 2 dessertspoons of pickling spice (dried seeds and spices which can be bought ready mixed and includes mustard seed, allspice, peppercorns, cloves, ginger, chillies). Add more or less according to how spicy you like your pickles... I love them really spicy.

Gently bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Cool and return it to the vinegar bottles along with the spice, ready for the next day.

Next day, drain off the brine then rinse the onions in plenty of cold water and drain well. Dab dry with a clean tea towel.

Sterilise the jam jars. I now sterilise mine in the microwave by adding a little hot water to each jar before placing them in the microwave and bringing the water to the boil for a minute or two. They can be sterilised the traditional way on a baking tray in a warm oven as for jam making.

Take care removing the HOT jars and when draining off the hot water. 

Pack the onions into the dry, cold, sterilised jars.

Fill with the spiced vinegar and, half to one teaspoon of the spices, to each jar. Do not fill the jars to the top but make sure the onions are completely covered. Check there are no air locks in the jars.

Cover the top of each jar with a circle of cellophane (the ones available for jam making ) or wax paper and fasten lids securely. The cellophane creates a barrier stopping the vinegar corroding the lids.

Label and store around 4 weeks before use but I must admit that I can never wait that long!

Note: The onions will be softer if you add hot water at any stage.

The onions will be softer if you add the vinegar when it is still hot.

Add extra spice to one or two jars so you can later test which you prefer for future reference.

Now you can dream of perfect cheese and pickles, ham and pickles or just a fork and a jar of pickles.