Pickles! Part 2

As you know there has been a big pickle off in our house. The challenge was first set forth by my husband. In Turkey, it is customary to pickle just about anything. On my visits, I have seen floor to ceiling jars of olives in brine, pickled peppers, pickled okra, pickled beets and cauliflower, beans, carrots and even citrus fruits. Pickles are served with everything from breakfast to tea. I like them paired with Anatolian Bulgur Stew. In my pickle recipe, there is no cooking and no real waiting. These are also not truly fermented vegetables in a jar. They are simple and quick and delicious but not a true pickle. A true pickle is sour and fermented to help this table mainstay keep and also to provide probiotic nourishment. Bulent's pickles are fermented using garbanzo beans and laid to rest for about 10 days to complete the fermentation process using chick peas.

Pickles!

Ingredients 

• Several cucumbers (any variety - or any other vegetable of your choice)
• 2 Cups White Wine Vinegar (grape vinegar)
• 2 Tbs. Pickling Salt
• 8 whole cloves of garlic
• 5-6 dry chick peas also known as garbanzo beans
• 1 Gallon distilled water

Instructions 

1. Poke holes in the cucumbers with a pin (this is to absorb the pickling liquid and to ensure fermentation) add them to a jar that closes with an airtight apparatus (see photo)
2. Mix the vinegar and salt together and add to the cucumbers
3. Add the garlic
4. Pour in water (which is boiled then cooled to air temperature)
5. Cover everything with the bunch of parsley.
6. Seal lid and place in a cool dark place like the basement or garage for 10 days. Do not put in the refrigerator. The cool air in the fridge will retard the fermentation process.

A Shiny, New, Ramped Up Blog!

So I went to Etsy and scoured all kinds of designers and blog templates until I found just the right fit for  P and P! I came across Lisa's Menagerie where I became mesmerized not just by her blog templates but also by her mixed media art pieces. Lisa has been amazing! She is very professional and knowledgable and even though I know this process has been frustrating for both of us, she kept both of us on the steady. For more information visit her Etsy store or at Pixel Anthology which provides a much more comprehensive view of the things she does. Thank you, Lisa!

The Bundt Cake

Granny gave me a beautiful bundt mold (last July) in the shape of a sensational starburst swirl. It's made by Nordic Ware in case you're wondering and I believe it is priceless! Thanks for a great 5 year anniversary present Gran! The mold is so great in fact that it is nothing short of inspiring!

I had peaches that a wonderful lady named Mary dropped by on our porch. Mary and I trade goodies. In the spring she takes some Cala Lillies from our garden and she leaves me Portuguese bread. In the summer she leaves peaches and I give her tomatoes. 

She left such a big batch of peaches that by day three, of them sitting on the kitchen counter, I thought, well, before they turn, perhaps I should do something with them. A new bundt pan and over ripe peaches and a new recipe was born.

This however, is not an easy recipe. If you are to embark on this bundt adventure, be ready to commit some time in the kitchen.  This recipe is heavily adapted from a foodie blog From My Sweet Heart.

The cocoa in her recipe adds depth of flavor to the streusel and her spices do too. However, I thought it was too much a wintery flavor so i changed things up. She also has sour cream in her recipe and it makes for a moist, addictive cake!