Pickled Peppers.—Soak fresh bell peppers, either green or red, in strong brine for a week or two, changing every two or three days. Pack in suitable jars and cover with cold vinegar. The seeds tend to make the peppers very strong, and may be re moved if less strength is desired. A few peppers added to pickled cucum bers improves them very much, as the heat of the peppers is taken out by the vinegar and becomes blended with the cucumbers, giving them an agree able flavor.
Pickled Beets.— Select small red beets having the roots on and wash them carefully so as not to break the roots or the skin. Place in a large kettle, cover with plenty of water and boil three or four hours. Take them up carefully with a skimmer so as not to break the skins. Place them on a cloth strainer to cool and dry. When cold, quarter them or pack them in suitable jars, cover with pure or pickled cold vinegar, and seal so as to exclude the air. If not sealed it will be necessary to pour off the vine gar occasionally, bring it to a boil and pour it scalding hot over the beets.
Or after the beets have been boiled, pack them in jars and cover with hot brine strong enough to float an egg. When cool put the jars in u sauce pan full of cold water, place it on the stove, and boil half an hour or more. Seal air tight while hot and store in a cool place.
Nasturtiums. — Collect the seeds while young and tender. Place them in a double boiler, cover with strong cold brine. Let stand for an hour, then place on the stove and bring to boil. When they boil up take them out of the skimmer, put them into a suitable jar, and cover them with boiling hot spiced pickling liquid.
Or have at hand a jar of sweetened spice vinegar and into this drop nas turtium seeds picked as they accu mulate during the season before they become hard and woody. They make an excellent substitute for capers and an agreeable addition to salads or sandwiches.
Pickled Barberries.--To pickle bar berries for a garnish, especially for cold meats, salads, and the like, se lect the large, firm bunches of berries of a fine deep red. Remove the leaves and the discolored berries. Place them in jars and cover with brine strong enough to float an egg. Seal to exclude the air, or cover with par affin or waxed paper. If any scum or mold appears upon the surface pour out the barberries on u cloth strainer, dry them between two cloths, and cover them with fresh brine.
To Pickle Mushrooms. — Select small button mushrooms, remove the stems, rub off the skins with a piece of flannel moistened in salt water and throw them into weak brine of about a cupful of salt to a gallon of water. Let stand three or four hours. Pour them out on a cloth strainer to drain and dry.
Or after cleaning them with salt and water, put them over a slow fire until the juice from them has dis solved the salt. Then pour them out to drain on a cloth strainer. Finally, pack in suitable jars or bottles and cover with spiced pickling liquid, scalding hot, or place the mushrooms in the spiced liquid and boil for ten minutes. Pack in bottles, cover with the scalding liquid. Let stand until cold, and seal.
Pickled Melons.—Take hard musk melons that are late in ripening, cut out a circular piece around the stem about 3 inches across and through this opening remove the seeds and scrape out any part that may be soft or ripe. Pack the melons in a wood- . en tub, fill them inside, and cover them with salt and let stand until the salt is melted. Remove them from the salt, rinse with pure water and fill with a mixture of chopped pep pers and onions with a few shallots, a little garlic, and a quantity of bruised mustard seed. Close the opening with the plug, and fasten it with thread or with skewers made of toothpicks. Pack the melons in a tub or earthen j ar and cover with spiced pickling liquid boiling hot. Remove and scald the spiced liquid every day for four or five days, pour it back over the melons, and finally seal up the jars.
Or stuff the melons with a picca lilli or chowchow or any sort of mixed pickles, as desired.
Pickled Citron. — Cut the citron into inch cubes, cover with weak brine. Let stand twenty-four hours and pour out on a cloth strainer to dry. For every gallon of spiced vine gar add 4 ounces of coffee sugar, bring to a boil and pour over the citron boiling hot. Let stand three or four days, each day pouring off the pickling liquid from the citron, scald ing it and pouring it back. Finally, bring the whole to a boil and cook until the citron is very tender. Pack in suitable jars. Seal and store in a cool, dry place.