PICKLES

The Gentle Art of Pickling.

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Long before fridges and freezers hummed in our kitchens, pickling was the way our grandmothers and their grandmothers before them tucked away the harvest for colder days. And truly—almost anything can be pickled, from crisp garden cucumbers to blushing fruit plucked in late summer’s golden light.

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Pickled treasures keep beautifully, especially through the quiet, wintry months when the garden rests and fresh produce is but a memory. A spoonful here or a slice there brings brightness to stews, roasts, and cold platters alike.

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Below is my beloved version of pickled pears—a little sweet, a little spiced, and rather splendid with cheese or spooned over roasted squash.

INGREDIENTS ​

• 12 pears with the skin off

• 0.5 liter of water

• 0.5 liter of cider vinegar

• 200g of sugar

• Handful of peppercorns

• Vanilla pods. 1 per jar for jam jar size split in half.

• Handful of ginger.

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How to Pickle Pears (A Sweet & Spiced Pantry Delight)

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• In a saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, peppercorns, and sugar to a gentle boil. Let it bubble and reduce slightly, making sure the sugar melts away completely into the brew. It should smell sharp, sweet, and just a little mysterious.

• While that’s simmering, slice your pears—ripe but still firm—and nestle them into sterilised jars, layering with slivers of fresh ginger and a length of vanilla pod (or a splash of extract if that’s what you have).

• Carefully pour the hot liquid over the pears, filling the jars right to the brim. Seal with a lid straight away, capturing the warmth and fragrance inside.

• Let them rest somewhere cool and dark for about a month, so the flavours have time to whisper and mingle.

 

These pickled pears are pure magic beside a wedge of strong cheese, a plate of cold meats, or tucked into a festive grazing board. They’re the sort of thing you’ll be glad to find when the frost dusts the windows and the garden slumbers.