Zucchini Pickle
2 quarts thin sliced, unpeeled, small zucchini
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup salt
2 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Combine zucchini and onions. Sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water and let stand for 2 hours.
Drain; rinse with fresh cold water, and drain again.
Combine remaining ingredients in an enamelware kettle and bring to a boil.
Cook 2 minutes.
Add zucchini and onions, remove from heat, and let stand 2 hours.
Bring to a boil again and cook 5 minutes.
Ladle hot into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom, and process in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes.
Makes about 4 pints.
Spiced
Blackberry Cordial
4 cups home-canned blackberry juice, unsweetened
2 cups sugar
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 Tbsp. whole cloves
1/4 oz. whole allspice
About a pint of brandy or cognac
Tie the spices in a small double layer cheesecloth bag, add to the juice and sugar and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes to get the benefit of the spices.
Remove the spice bag and strain the hot juice into a hot sterilized pitcher, preferably enameled ware.
Stir in the brandy or cognac, and pour the cordial, still very warm, into sterilized bottles or small canning jars, leaving no headroom.
Cap immediately with sterilized tops.
Protect the join of cap and container with sealing wax or pressure-sensitive tape, unless you are using conventional two-piece screw band lids for the jars.
Pretty, slender-necked bottles that syrups or salad dressings came in work well. If they have screw-tops, remove each lining disc before sterilizing the lids. Put a small double fold of good quality household plastic wrap over the rim of the bottle and screw the cap on tight. Or buy appropriate size corks and sterilize them, and use sealing wax.