Just an observation ...

[Andrey_BY]

Originally Posted by Grub

Thanks Andrey,

I trust you have plenty of fine produce stacked away for winter after a good season in the dacha?

The cupboards are empty here

Grub, cupboards are full here This is only a half of all jars, but I'm not sure it will be enough till the next spring :wink:

[Tomstrees]

what the ??!!!
Thats a boat load of food !

Are the tomatoes PL ?

~ tOM

[Grub]

Andrey, Dear Andrey...

That looks BEAUTIFUL! How I wish to open a cupboard and see such a display. A little vodka, some day-old bread, a jar of those pickled vegetables, and a pack of cards. We would be up all night. And the wives would not be happy.

BTW: The Polski Ogorki (spelling) I buy here are too salty.

[Ruth_10]

Cool pantry photo, Andrey. Are those pickled vegetables? Do you do water bath canning? What kind of lids are those? We can tomatoes and pickled peppers and dills here--our jars and lids look quite different. Always interesting to see how someone else does it.

[shelleybean]

Hey, Grub! Around here, if wives have vodka, bread, veggies and cards, we're somewhat happy too. Those things aren't all bad, right? :wink:

[Andrey_BY]

Originally Posted by Tomstrees

what the ??!!!
Thats a boat load of food !

Are the tomatoes PL ?

~ tOM

NO, only a few PL and for the reason I've already explained here. Most of Russian varieties traditionally have got RL :wink:

Grub, nothing compares with real Russian or Belarusian vodka for 3USD for 1 bottle (0.5l) and one of such jars as a nice extra to vodka Also all of you need to taste our traditional Belarusian brown (or black as we used to say) bread which is imported to Russia and all over CIS and Eastern Europe.

Here is our traditional Belarusian bread "Narochanskiy", a special Moscow gift edition


There a lot of nice crunchy varieties of Polski Ogorki (Polish Cukes), but only when you grow their seeds by yourself and pickle them afwerwords :wink: All commercial products tastes the same because they have been produced by the souls of machines (equipment)

[Andrey_BY]

Originally Posted by Ruth_10

Cool pantry photo, Andrey. Are those pickled vegetables? Do you do water bath canning? What kind of lids are those? We can tomatoes and pickled peppers and dills here--our jars and lids look quite different. Always interesting to see how someone else does it.

Ruth_10, yes these are pickled vegies in 3 l jars with plate lids. There are two ways how to pickle them (with or without sterilization).

First - hot water pickling without sterilization.

First of all prepair marinade out of hot water, salt (2 big cups of salt (50 g) for 1l of water), sugar (1 big cup), spices...
Then put vegetables (whole tomatoes, sliced sweet peppers and sometimes hot peppers, carrots, garlics and black current leaves :wink: ) + dill to the jar (3l jars here, but you can use your size ) - all put as a levels: spices-vegies-spices-vegies-spices.
Put very hot water to the jar with vegies for about 2-3 minutes and then take it out of jar. Do it 2 times in a row. Then put the prepaired hot marinade to this jar with vegies, add of 3-4 big cups of 5% concentrated vinegar (wine or cider) as for 1l of water and them quickly cover this jar with boiled plate or plastic lid (we prefer plate lids because usually they are more reliable to protect against sudden explosion because of internal gassing). Put the jar upside down for some hours to make sure lids were installed properly and there is no leaking. Store in dark cool place.

Hot water pickling with sterilization (when you are patient and have enouth time)

The same but after you add hot marinade you have to put this jar with vegies and marinade with plastic lid covered to the big pan with water for 5-7 minutes after water in this pan starts to boil. Then take out the jar and cover it with plat lid by a special hand-operated machine (see on photo below). Put the jar upside down for some hours to make sure lids were installed properly and there is no leaking. Store in dark cool place with no access from hungry neighboors

No electronics - just a hand magic. A great device for real heirloom gardeners!


And don't experiment with amount of vinegar. Othewise you will have something very acid or very mild in winter time :wink:

[Grub]

Marvelous thing this forum.

Thanks Aundrey.

Copied your recipe for my future pickles.

Now, about that Vodka. I have the cards

[Ruth_10]

Interesting lid securing device. I wonder if it's known in the states. We do pickled peppers and cucumbers in more or less the same manner as you--pour very hot water over the jar contents several times to get everything warmed up, then add the pickling brine. We use Ball or Kerr lids, which have a ring of plastic material around the edge where it sits on the lip of the jar. When heated to near boiling water temperature, the plastic becomes maleable. After adding the hot (bioling) pickle brine, the lid is laid on, a metal ring is screwed on over this, then the jar is inverted for a period of 10-15 minutes. At this stage the plastic on the lid, which is being warmed by the liquid in the jar, molds itself around the jar lid, forming a tight seal. After the jar is stood upright, the vacuum formed from the cooling liquid pulls the lid concave--this process makes a very satisfying "Snick" sound which is music to the canner's ear.

I'm with Grub and I'm hungry. Let's get at those goodies.

[Andrey_BY]

Ruth_10, there is the same ring of plastic material around the edge of lid where it sits on the lip of the jar :wink:

Grub, here is a virtual exhibition for you - Belarusian vodkas:











You choose, I drink Then opposite. Then playing virtual cards

Traditional Russian (Soviet) glasses for vodka drinking (for men and women)


As Russians say Don't eat anything right after the first drink of vodka. And there has to be no long break between the first and the second drink :wink:

Great off-topic

And at the end Kalashnikov's vodka only for men :wink: