Pickles — Sweet
It is ESSENTIAL that the would-be pickle-maker looks up the ins and outs of pickle-making, in a pickle cookbook, or reputable online cooking site. Detailed instructions for properly steriizing and sealing jars are not included in this recipe.
Really. No kidding.
Into a large clean stone jar, place 2 gallons (10 - 12 lbs) gherkin cucumbers, washed and sliced longwise.
Dissolve 2 cups of pickling salt in one gallon of boiling water, and pour while still hot over the cucumbers.
Cover and let stand for one week.
On the 8th day, drain and pour one gallon of boiling water over the cucumbers, and let stand 24 hours.
1 tsp ground ginger
On the 9th day, drain and pour over the cucumbers one gallon of boiling water with one tablespoon powdered alum dissolved in it. Let stand 24 hours.
On the 10th day drain again, pour over one gallon of boiling water, let stand for 24 hours, then drain.
For the pickling mixture, combine five pints of white vinegar, boiling hot, 6 cups sugar, five tsp celery seed, one oz. cinnamon stick. Pour this over pickles, let sit 24 hours.
For three mornings in a row, drain off liquid into a stockpot, reheat it, adding one additional cup of sugar each morning.
With the third and last heating, pack pickles into sterilized jars, and seal in hot water bath.
This recipe is labeled as coming from someone named Marian Groth. Time has unfortunately erased all memory of the kind and generous lady who gave me this recipe.