Season 8, Episode 30. 08/14/2021.
In this episode, we are setting the table with pickles.
I (Amy Campbell) share Minnie Pearl’s recipes for Curry Pickles and Mustard Pickles from her cookbook Minnie Pearl Cooks.
Fred Sauceman shares a pickle recipe from Distiller Jack Daniel’s great, great, gran niece, Lynne Tolley.
Who was John Egerton? Elizabeth Simms lets us know who this man was & Robert Gipe tells a humorous story of his days working in a pickle factory. Amy recorded Elizabeth & Robert at the Appalachian Food Summit in September of 2016.
Links:
Elizabeth Simms http://elizabethlsimsllc.com/
Robert Gipe: https://www.robertgipe.com/
Fred Sauceman https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman?fref=ts
Appalachian Food Summit: https://www.appalachianfood.com/
John C Egerton: [https://www.southernfoodways.org/interview/john-egerton/][4]
Recipes:
Minnie Pearl’s Curry Pickle recipe:
Equipment you will need:
- 4 pint jars
- A pot that will hold at least 6 quarts of boiling liquid
- Hot Water bath canner with the wire basket
- Hand held Jar lifter, air bubble wand.
- Magnetic wand for lifting lids out of hot water
- Brand new, and clean canning lids.
- A drying rack placed away from drafts.
- Several of clean kitchen towels.
To Prepare:
Wash your jars in the dishwasher, or really well with hot, soapy water.
Boil your jars for a minimum of 10 minutes and keep these jars in the hot water on simmer until you need to use them.
Get a small saucepan out, fill with water to half full, bring the water to boil, and place your lids in the water. Keep them in this hot water until you need to use them. (I know, they say you don’t need to do this step, but I am stuck in old ways, so, do as you like on that step)
Groceries you will need:
- 2 1/2 pounds 4-5 inch picking cucumbers
- 1 c sugar
- 2 T salt
- 2 T mustard seed
- 2 T curry powder
- 1 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1 2/3 c white vinegar
- 1 c water
Directions:
Wash cucumbers thoroughly. Be sure to cut off both ends where bacteria can remain. Cut into chunks. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients (except cucumbers). Heat to boiling. Add cucumbers. Heat just to boiling point. Simmer while quickly packing 1 hot, sterilized jar at a time. Fill to within 1/8 inch from the top making sure vinegar solution covers cucumbers. Seal and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 4 pints.
*And a note from me here: Always consult the Ball Blue Book for correct times and safe canning instructions.
Minnie Pearl’s Mustard Pickle Recipe:
Groceries you will need:
- 2 quarts medium-sized cucumbers
- 1 quart green tomatoes
- 1 large cauliflower
- 2 sweet red peppers
- 1 quart pickling onions
- 1 cup salt
- 3 quarts water
- 6 T. dry mustard
- 1 T. tnumeric
- 1 c. all purpose flour
- 3/4 c. water
- 2 c. sugar
- 2 quarts vinegar
- 2 T. celery seed
- 1 T/ peppercorns
Directions:
Wash and drain vegetables. Cut cucumbers into 1/2-inch cubes, tomatoes into wedges, and cauliflower into small flowerets. Remove seed from peppers. Cut into small pieces. Peel onions. Cut in half. Dissolve salt in 3 quarts water. Pour over vegetables. Let stand 12 hours. Rinse. Drain for 1 hour. Combine dry mustard. turmeric, and flour. Gradually add the 3/4 cup water, stirring until smooth. Add sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and peppercorns. Cook over medium heat until sauce coats a spoon. Add vegetables. Simmer 15 minutes. Pack, boiling hot, into sterilized jars. leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Makes 12 pints. *Refer to the Ball Blue Book for directions on safe food preservation methods.
Overnight Pickle Recipe shared by Fred Sauceman:
Overnight Pickles adapted from the cookbook Jack Daniels the Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook, written by Pat Mitchamore and Lynne Tolley.
- Peel slice 6 med cucumbers
- 2 sm onions sliced
- 1/4 c sugar
- 1 c apple cider vinegar/or white vinegar
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- 1 tsp dill seed
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 1 T tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
- Bring to boil, boil for 1 min
- Pour over cucumbers and onions
- Pour mixture in a no-reactive bowl, cover and marinate overnight. These will be ready to eat the next day.
This is a good cookbook Minnie Pearl Cooks written by the queen of country comedy Minnie Pearl. Copies can be found fairly easily for a reasonable price in paperback. Published in 1970.
Robert Gipe (left), Elizabeth Simms and Chef Travis Milton photographed at the Appalachian Food Summit, Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, Berea, Kentucky in 2016.