In a Pickle

I have grown numerous varieties of pickling cucumbers over the years and have finally found one that I absolutely LOVE! 

Cool Breeze Cukes ~ one days harvest from 8 plants

 'Cool Breeze' is an exciting French cornichon type of pickling and salad cucumber that sets fruits 4-5 inches long without cross pollination. The hybrid plants thrive in cool or warm temperatures and can be grown on the ground. To save garden space grow in a cage or on a trellis, allowing one foot between plants. They produce high yields of dark green, crunchy-sweet, small-spined, seedless fruit. Keep them well watered and pick the fruits promptly. 

I harvest the fruits when they reach the size of my baby finger, then pickle them in small jars with fresh dill weed and garlic. These tiny gems are then used as hostess gifts or Christmas stocking stuffers for my family. 

For my small batch 'Quick Dill Pickle ' instructions and a variety of three different 'Dill Pickle Brines' see my cookbook, 'For the Love of Food' page 228.

Happy gardening~Bon Appetit!  

Photos from my garden and kitchen ~ by Sally Rae