Your guide to fermentation and fresh-pack pickling

Pickling adds flavour and preserves at the same time. Here's some tips for perfecting your fermenting.

• Choose firm, fresh vegetables and fruit for pickling. Green tomatoes and underripe fruit can be used for extra firmness.
• Use good quality vinegars that have an acid level of at least five percent. Don't use homemade vinegar.
• Cider vinegar and white wine vinegar are suitable for delicate pickles, especially fruit.
• Malt vinegar can be used with more strongly flavoured raw ingredients.
• Use coarse cooking salt. Regular table salt has additives that may cause pickles to become cloudy and darken in colour.
• Herbs and spices should be fresh. Stale spices may give a musty flavour.
• The water should be soft, if possible, since hard water interferes with fermentation.
• If the water in your area is hard, you can use bottled soft water or rainwater. Or, boil hard water, skim off the scum and let it sit for 24 hours before using.

• Cucumbers and green tomatoes are the vegetables most frequently treated by fermentation pickling.
• After pickling is completed (one to three weeks), pickles can be stored for up to three weeks at 3°C.
• For long-term preservation, pack into sterilized jars. Leave one centimetre (half an inch) headspace at the top. Process by the boiling-water bath method, or in a commercial preserving unit according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• If the brine is cloudy, make a fresh one to use in bottling.
• The usual precautions should be followed during bottling and afterwards. Jars should be labelled, dated and stored in a cool, dry place.
• If there are any signs of spoilage — such as a bulging lid, bad smell, poor pickle consistency, sliminess or discolouration — don't eat any of the food in the jar.

• Cucumbers, beets, green beans and cauliflower are all suitable vegetables for fresh-pack pickling.
• Pears, peaches, tomatoes and watermelon rind are great choices for fruit.
• Each can be processed individually, or several can be combined to make a relish or chutney.
• Processing details will vary from recipe to recipe, depending on the ingredients to be used.
• Vegetables are often marinated overnight in brine before they're heat processed.
• Fruits and relishes are usually simmered in a syrup of sugar, vinegar and spices before processing.
• As for any pickle recipe, use only ripe and unbruised produce that's been thoroughly washed.

It's amazing what a little vinegar, salt, spices and sometimes sugar can do for vegetables and fruit. With the right ingredients and the proper storage, pickling can help you discover new flavours and extend your produce's shelf life.

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