Georgia’s Kitchen: Garden Favorites

Georgia Diehm

It’s been nice to be able to have a garden again this year. I enjoy watching things grow. And of course, we also enjoy the fresh produce just-for-the-picking in our backyard.

Now it’s time to think about putting away some of our garden surplus for the winter months that lie ahead. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with all those peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.

Here are some suggestions:

Pepper Relish

24 sweet peppers
2 hot peppers
18 large onions
3 cups sugar
2 Tbs. salt
1 qt. vinegar
2 Tbs. celery seed

Seed peppers, and chop with onions. Cover with boiling water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain and put in a kettle. Add sugar, salt, vinegar and celery seed. Simmer 30 minutes. Bottle in small jars. Makes approximately 6-1/2 pint bottles.

Potsfrild Pickles

3 pints chopped green tomatoes
3 pints chopped red tomatoes
3 pints chopped cabbage
3 pints chopped onions
6 red peppers
2 bunches celery
1/2 cup horseradish
1/2 cup salt
2 qts. vinegar
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup white mustard seed

Combine vegetables and cover with salt. Let stand overnight. Drain and add vinegar, sugar, and spices. Cook 20 minutes and seal in jars. Makes about 6 qts.

Piccalilli

1 peck green tomatoes sliced
3 lbs. onions sliced
3 large green peppers, cut into strips
1 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 qts. vinegar
1 cup whole mixed pickling spice
2 cups water.

Put vegetables into a kettle in layers, with salt sprinkled between the layers. Let stand overnight. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Cook vegetables with sugar, vinegar, pickling spice and water until mixture has thickened. Turn into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 7 qts.