A few recipes are here given as illustrations of the methods employed in preparing these condiments. For full particulars the reader is referred to the popular treatises on Cookery. The best vinegar (pickling, or No. 24 vinegar) should he employed. Some prefer the crystal or white vinegar (distilled vinegar, or rather pure diluted wood-vinegar), especially for white pickles; but the best wine vinegar is more agreeable. Stoneware jars, not glazed with lead, should be used to keep the pickles in; or otherwise green glass jars.

Spiced Vinegar, for Pickles generally. Bruise in a mortar 2 oz. of black pepper, 1 oz. of ginger, 1/2 oz. of allspice, and 1 oz. of salt. If a hotter pickle is desired, add 1/2 dr. of cayenne, or a few capsicums. For walnuts, add also 1 oz. of shallots. Put these into a stone jar, with a quart of vinegar, and cover them with a bladder wetted with the pickle, and over this place a piece of leather. Set the jar on a trivet near the fire for 3 days, shaking it 3 times a day, then pour it on the walnuts or other vegetables. For walnuts it is used hot, but for cabbage, etc, cold. To save time, it is usual to simmer the vinegar gently with the Spices; which is best done in an enamelled saucepan.

Beet Boot. Boil the roots till 3 parts done (from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours): then take them out, peel them, and cut them in thin slices. Put them into a jar, and pour on them sufficient cold spiced vinegar (as above) to cover them.

Cabbage, White. Cut it into thin slices, put them into an earthen pan, sprinkle them with salt, and let them lie for 2 days; then drain them and spread them out before the fire for some hours: put them into a stone jar, and add sufficient white vinegar, or pale white vinegar, to cover them, and add a little mace and white pepper-corns.

Cabbage, Bed. Remove the outer leaves and stalks, and cut the cabbage in quarters, then shred them into a cullender, and sprinkle them with salt; next day drain them, put them into a jar, and pour on them sufficient cold spiced vinegar to cover them. Others hang up the cabbage for a few days to dry, then shred the leaves, and put them in layers in a jar with a little salt, pepper, and ginger, and fill up with cold vinegar. Others use vinegar without spice.

Cauliflower and Broccoli. These should be sliced, and salted for 2 or 3 days, then drained, and spread upon a dry cloth before the fire for 24 hours; then put into a jar, and covered with spiced vinegar. Dr. Kitchener says, that if vegetables are put into cold salt and water (a 1/4 lb). of salt to a quart of water) and gradually heated to boiling, it answers the same purpose as letting them lie some days in salt.

Cucumbers. Gherkins. Small cucumbers, but not too young, are wiped clean with a dry cloth, put into a jar, and boiling vinegar, containing a handful of salt, poured on them. Boil up the vinegar every 3 days, and pour it on them till they become green; then add ginger and pepper, and tie them up close for use. Or cover them with salt and water (as above) in a stone jar, cover this, and set them on the hearth before the fire for 2 or 3 days, till they turn yellow; then put away the water, and cover them with hot vinegar, set them near the fire, and keep them hot for 8 or 10 days, till they become green; then pour off the vinegar, cover them with hot spiced vinegar, and keep them close.

Mangoes. Large cucumbers, or small melons, are split so that a marrow-spoon may be introduced, and the seeds scooped out; they are then parboiled in brine strong enough to float an egg, dried on a cloth before the fire, filled with mustard-seed and a clove of garlic, and then covered with spiced vinegar. True mangoes the same.

Mushrooms. Clean them with water and flannel, throw them into boiling salt and water in a stewpan, and let them boil for a few minutes. Drain them in a cullender, and lay them on a linen cloth, covering them with another. Put them into bottles with a blade or two of mace, and fill up with white vinegar, pouring Some melted mutton fat on the top, if they are intended to be kept long.

Nasturtiums, French Beans, and other small green vegetables, are pickled in the same way as Gherkins.

Onions. 1. Let them lie in strong salt and water for a fortnight; then take them out and peel them; put them in fresh salt and water for another fortnight; take them out, wash them clean, and let them lie in fresh water all night. Next day put them on a cloth to drain; then put them in a jar, and pour over them hot spiced vinegar. If you wish them of a nice colour, use white vinegar.

2. Peel small silver button onions, and throw them into a stewpan of boiling water; as soon as they look clear, take them out with a perforated spoon, and lay them on a folded cloth, covered with another, and when quite dry, put them into a jar, and cover them with hot spiced vinegar. When quite cold, bung them down, and cover with bladder wetted with the pickle, and leather.

Walnuts. Take 100 young walnuts, lay them in salt and water for 2 or 3 days, changing the water every day. (If required to be soon ready for use, pierce each walnut with a larding-pin, that the pickle may penetrate.) Wipe them with a soft cloth, and lay them on a folded cloth for some hours. Then put them in a jar, and pour on them sufficient of the above spiced vinegar, hot, to cover them. Or they may be allowed to simmer gently in strong vinegar, then put into a jar with a handful of mustard seed, 1 oz. ginger, 1/4 oz. mace, 1 oz. allspice, 2 heads of garlic, and 2 split nutmegs, and pour on them sufficient boiling vinegar to cover them. Dr. Kitchener recommends the walnuts to be gently simmered with the brine, then laid on a cloth for a day or two, till they turn black, put into a jar, and hot spiced vinegar poured on them.

Tomatoes. As Gherkins. See Cucumbers.

Piccalilli, Indian, or Mixed Pickles. 1. To each gallon of strong vinegar put 4 oz. of curry powder, 4 oz. of good flour of mustard, 3 oz. of bruised ginger, 2 oz. of turmeric, 8 oz. of skinned shallots, and 2 oz. of garlic (the last two slightly baked in a Dutch oven), 1/4 lb. of salt, and 2 drs. of cayenne pepper. Digest these near the fire, as directed above for spiced vinegar. Put into a jar, gherkins, sliced cucumbers, sliced onions, button onions, cauliflower, celery, broccoli, French beans, nasturtiums, capsicums, large