A pretty pickle

I wish I had inherited the collector gene. Maybe then I’d be able to understand why umpteen Mickey Mouse saltshakers and several hundred bottle caps could send someone into raptures of delight.

“Look at this,” exclaimed Gene excitedly, indicating the latest addition to another in the series of the crazy stuff he has collected. “In 20 years that’ll be worth $1,000.”

As usual, I didn’t get it.

“Wow! Great!” I said thinking privately he’d be lucky if it was worth $20 in 1,000 years. But then, steering me into another part of his warren-like residence he pointed to something I finally did get.

“This is number 45,” he crooned, lovingly running his fingers around the rim of a very ordinary stoneware crock, now lined up amidst its new family of ceramic stoneware crocks and jugs.

Here was something I could clearly see the sense in owning, though why on earth anyone needed 45 was beyond me.

“Wow! Great!” I said, meaning it this time. “Say Gene, how about lending me one of your crocks to put up some dill pickles”?

“W...eee....llllll.” Gene obviously wasn’t enthusiastic.

“I’ll split them with you,” I offered, suddenly getting a craving for pickles. “Wwweeellllllllll, OK....I guess.”

“Try to contain your excitement Gene,” I said, picking out the right sized crock before he changed his mind.

Here’s an easy way to make delicious dill pickles in a fraction of the time traditional brined pickles require (and you don’t need a crock...).

24-hour Dill Pickles

Combine in a medium saucepan 2 qts. water, 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 /3 cup salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Turn off heat and allow brine to cool to room temp. Wash several fresh, small, pickling size cucumbers and a good bunch of dill. Peel several cloves of garlic. Slice cucumbers lengthwise into wedges. Pack a bunch of dill (quantity to taste), 2 or 3 cloves of garlic and sliced cucumbers into clean quart canning jars. Top off jars with brine, cover and refrigerate 24 hours.