Pickling and Fermenting

For me, there is no greater joy than transforming homegrown produce into preserves that further extend their shelf life. Pickling and fermenting, both preservation techniques that involve submerging vegetables and spices in a solution, are similar and yet very different.

Pickling refers to the process of preserving fruits and vegetables in a vinegar solution. Examples include dill pickles, pickled ginger, and dilly beans. Although pickling lends itself to water bath canning (shelf-stable preservation), I will be focusing on refrigerator pickles in this book (pickles that must be refrigerated). Shelf-stable canning techniques and recommendations vary from region to region, and I encourage you to consult your local health authorities for up-to-date information.