In article . com>,
Karen > wrote:

> On Jul 16, 6:47 am, Melba's Jammin' >

> The jarred sliced pickled beets don't seem to have "pickling spices"
> in them, do they? It must be just sugar and vinegar in the store-
> bought kind? I will have to check the label next time. What are
> pickling spices, anyway? (obviously, pickling is foreign territory for
> me!...)
>
> I never thought of making pickled beets without preserving them. It's
> not as intimidating that way.
>
> I've never seen quartered pickled beets. That sounds like a good bite
> for in a salad!
>
> Karen

You're not ezzackly encouraging my prospects for a ribbon, here, Karen.
Knockitoffwillya?

Jeez, I would HOPE there would be something more to the commercial ones
than a vinegar-sugar syrup.

Re the preserving part of it -- you can do the same with my corn relish
or bread & butter pickles or watermelon pickles. I had about 1-1/2
quarts of watermelon pickles in the fridge for a year once. Never got
around to canning them. Eventually I divided them into smaller jars for
gifts (not processed, advise to refrigerate)

Pickling spice usually has bay leaf, mustard seed, allspice, maybe
clove, maybe cinnamon, dill seed, maybe peppercorns, maybe other. Not
all equal proportions, though. Kind of generic flavoring blend for
pickled vegetables. Pickled fruits usually are done with sweet spices
only -- cinnamon, clove, allspice. No bay leaf. :-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com - story and
pics of Ronald McDonald House dinner posted 6-24-2007