1122. - Gaelic Pickle

Steep one quarter of a pound of ginger in strong salt and water for five days, then cut it into slices and dry it in the sun; put it into a large stone jar with a gallon of the best white-wine vinegar. Peel one pound of garlic, salt it well, and let it stand in the salt three days; wipe it, and dry it in the sun, then put it into the pickle; add also a quarter of a pound of long pepper steeped in salt and water and well dried, one pound of mustard-seed bruised, and a quarter of a pound of turmeric. Shake these ingredients well in the jar, and add any thing that it is desirable to pickle as it comes into season, salting and drying them previously in the sun. When completed, the pickle should be kept a year or two before it is used.

Shalots may be pickled in the same way; or if put, as we have already stated, in a bottle of cold vinegar, their fla-vor will be imparted to it in the course of a month.

1123. - Cucumbers

If full-grown, the small long sort are the best for pickling. Let them be fresh-gathered; pull off the blossoms, but do not rub them; pour over them a strong brine of salt and water boiling hot, cover them close, and let them stand all night. The next day stir them gently to take off the sand, drain them on a sieve, and dry them on a cloth; make a pickle with the best white-wine vinegar, ginger, pepper (long and round), and a little garlic. When the pickle boils throw in the cucumbers, cover them, and make them boil as quickly as possible for three or four minutes; put them into a jar with the vinegar, and cover them closely; when cold, put in a sprig of dill, the seed downward. They will be exceedingly crisp and green done in this manner; but if they do not appear to be of a fine color, boil up the pickle the next day, and pour it boiling on the cucumbers.

1125. - Mushroom Powder

"Wash a half peck of large mushrooms while quite fresh, and free them from dirt and grit with flannel; scrape out the black part clean, and do not use any that are worm-eaten; put them into a stewpan over the fire without water, with two large onions, some cloves, a quarter of an ounce of maces, and two spoonfuls of white pepper, all in powder; simmer and shake them till all the liquor be dried up, but be careful they do not burn. Lay them on tins or sieves, in a slow oven, till they are dry enough to beat to powder; then put the powder in small bottles corked and tied closely, and keep in a dry place.

A teaspoonful will give a very fine flavor to any soup or gravy, or any sauce. It is to be added just before serving, and one boil given to it after it is put in.

1127. - To Pickle Radish-Pods

Gather the radish-pods when they are quite young, and put them into salt and water all night; then boil the salt and water, and pour it over the pods in jars, and cover them closely to keep in the steam. When the brine is cold boil it, and pour it hot upon the pods again, repeating the process until they are green; then put them in a sieve to drain, and make a pickle for them of white-wine vinegar, mace, ginger, long pepper, and horseradish; pour it boiling hot upon the pods, and when nearly cold boil it again, and pour it over them. When cold, tie down the jars.