pickling cucumbers in melbourne?

[pat_00]

I've got a serious Ogorki addiction right now, and i'm just starting to get into preserving.

I've got a recipe I want to try, but I can't find those small lumpy cucumbers anywhere around Melbourne.

Any suggestions?

[Pat Churchill]

I've got a serious Ogorki addiction right now, and i'm just starting to get into preserving.

I've got a recipe I want to try, but I can't find those small lumpy cucumbers anywhere around Melbourne.

Any suggestions?

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It might be a bit early in the season yet. I think gherkins aren't around much until summer. Might be worth going to a farmers' market and checking with growers.

Speaking of pickling - does anyone have a recipe for nice crisp pickled gherkins?

[helenjp]

Just a guess, but try adding a clean, dry eggshell (peel off membrane) or two, wrapped in gauze. That's what I use to make crisp umeboshi (Japanese salted plums).

You could try crushing calcium tablets (health store, pharmacy)?

I was thinking that it must be possible to make them with whey and see that somebody else thought of it before me:

Noursishing traditions recipe

However, I don't know if there is enough whey in that recipe to provide sufficient calcium to make the pickles really crisp.

[piazzola]

I've got a serious Ogorki addiction right now, and i'm just starting to get into preserving.

I've got a recipe I want to try, but I can't find those small lumpy cucumbers anywhere around Melbourne.

Any suggestions?

←

Ogorki yes I do eat them but their season is very short and most times the vegies are over ripen and they lost moisture what makes them soft instead of crispy.

[pat_00]

http://www.wildfermentation.com/resources.php?page=pickles

this is the recipe i want to try, it suggests grape or oak leaves to keep them crispy.

Suppose i'll have to wait till summer then, for some reason i though cucumbers were a winter thing.

[piazzola]

http://www.wildfermentation.com/resources.php?page=pickles

this is the recipe i want to try, it suggests grape or oak leaves to keep them crispy.

Suppose i'll have to wait till summer then, for some reason i though cucumbers were a winter thing.

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I perhaps know that a substance called alum is used to keep vegies crispy

You may have a hard time finding green things in Melbourne in mid summer except for grape leaves.

[jkim]

Do you really want to use chemicals (alum) in home cooking?

I'd prefer to stay with the egg-shells idea.

[Pat Churchill]

Speaking of grape leaves - has anyone preserved them? I've got some beauties just outside my kitchen. Unfortunately an ornamental grapevine, but I am told the leaves can be preserved same as the fruit-bearing varieties..

[piazzola]

Speaking of grape leaves - has anyone preserved them? I've got some beauties just outside my kitchen. Unfortunately an ornamental grapevine, but I am told the leaves can be preserved same as the fruit-bearing varieties..

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Hmm I had a recipe from Azerbaijan but The Greeks should do just as well

Haven't you got a Greek neighbour out there?

[Pat Churchill]

Speaking of grape leaves - has anyone preserved them? I've got some beauties just outside my kitchen. Unfortunately an ornamental grapevine, but I am told the leaves can be preserved same as the fruit-bearing varieties..

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Hmm I had a recipe from Azerbaijan but The Greeks should do just as well

Haven't you got a Greek neighbour out there?

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No. I had a Greek neighbour at Albert Park, but not here. I'll check out my Greek cookbooks.