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HINTS TO HOUSEKEEPERS. 101

Put whatever you intend to pickle in salt and water for
two or three days; then pour boiling salt and water on
them; wash them and drop them in the jars of vinegar.

You can pickle, any thing in this way but walnuts.
The same pickle, by adding more vinegar to it, will do
for two years; if the jars are set by a fire, a much less
time will do to take the strength out of the spices; the
turmeric should be tied up in a bag.

Peppers.

Take fully grown green peppers, cut a slit in the side
of each, and take out the seeds; make a strong brine
and lay them in it for three days; then soak them in
clear water, a day and night; pack them in a jar, and
pour boiling vinegar over them, with a piece of alum;
let them stay in this three days; when boil the vinegar
again, and pour over them; when they are green, stuff
them with chopped cabbage, mustard seed, cloves,
horse-radish, pepper, and a small onion in each; tie
them up, put them in a jar; boil fresh vinegar and pour
over.

Observe, always, to have the kettle you boil vinegar
in well cleaned; never put pickles in common earthenware,
as the glazing is poisonous.

Tomatoes.

Take small round tomatoes when they are not too
ripe; stick them with a needle, in several places, to
keep the skin from bursting, and let them lay a week in
salt and water; then wash them, and put them in a jar,
with some cloves, pepper, and small onions; cover them
with strong cold vinegar, and tie up the jar.

Cherries.

Take sound morel cherries, with the stems on, and
put them in a jar; boil spices in strong vinegar, and
pour over them hot. Damsons may be done in the
same way. A little sugar improves the pickle.
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