I've been lurking for a few days, and I thought if anyone could help
me, it would be someone here. When I was very young, between 5 and 7,
my babysitter would feed me these pickles she had made. I remember
asking for them first thing every time I stayed there. She has long
since passed away, and only one person I've asked has known what I'm
talking about, but she didn't know how to make them. I know she used
food coloring in them as they were either bright red or bright
green...she may have called them christmas pickles. They were sliced
about as big as silver dollars and they had a very sweet, very tangy
taste.....so tangy, if you ate too many, your tongue would start to
burn. Some one told me they had heard they were made with "red hots"
candies, but it may have just been plain cinnamon. They were in a
syrup the consistancy of nectar or maybe a little thicker, and they
were very crisp. Has anyone ever had these? I would love to be able to
make them. I've enjoyed reading your posts. Thanks for the ideas!


~North

Your memory is correct; they ARE made with red hots!

CHRISTMAS PICKLES
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Holidays
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ ------------------------------
-----SOAKING SOLUTION-----
9 Large cucumbers -- (8 to 10)
2 c Pickling lime
2 ga Water
-----BOILING SOLUTION-----
1 c Vinegar
1 Bottle Red Food Coloring
(Shilling's is prettiest)
1 tb Alum
-----SYRUP-----
2 c Vinegar
10 c Sugar -- (5 pounds)
2 c Water
14 oz Red hots -- (12-14 oz.)
8 Cinnamon sticks -- l per jar
2 ts Salt
8 pt Canning jars

1. Peel and remove seeds from 8 to 10 large cucumbers. Seeds can be
removed with an apple corer. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide rings. Soak
overnight in lime and water in a porcelain container (use non-aluminum).

2. Wash, drain; soak in clear water and covered with ice cubes for 3
hours. Drain.

3. Put in large pot. Cover with water and other ingredients for the
boiling solution. Boil for 1 hour; then drain.

4. Make syrup and bring to boil to
dissolve sugar. Use one cinnamon stick for each jar you think you will
have. Pour syrup over cucumbers and let stand overnight.

5. Drain syrup from cucumbers into separate pan and bring to a boil.
Pour back over cucumbers. After cool, cover with Saran wrap.

6. Repeat step 5 for 3 days.

7. On the fourth morning, heat syrup again. While heating, pack
cucumbers in sterilized pint jars (larger jars can be used) with
cinnamon stick. Pour heated juice into jars to fill up almost to top. If
you don't have enough, make more juice of water and red food coloring.
Seal jars. Putting in water bath is optional.

"I've been lurking for a few days, and I thought if anyone could help
me, it would be someone here. When I was very young, between 5 and 7, my
babysitter would feed me these pickles she had made. I remember asking
for them first thing every time I stayed there. She has long since
passed away, and only one person I've asked has known what I'm talking
about, but she didn't know how to make them. I know she used food
coloring in them as they were either bright red or bright green...she
may have called them christmas pickles. They were sliced about as big as
silver dollars and they had a very sweet, very tangy taste.....so tangy,
if you ate too many, your tongue would start to burn. Some one told me
they had heard they were made with "red hots" candies, but it may have
just been plain cinnamon. They were in a syrup the consistancy of nectar
or maybe a little thicker, and they were very crisp. Has anyone ever had
these? I would love to be able to make them. I've enjoyed reading your
posts. Thanks for the ideas!
~North"

"Fatima Blush" > wrote in message
...
> I've been lurking for a few days, and I thought if anyone could help
> me, it would be someone here. When I was very young, between 5 and 7,
> my babysitter would feed me these pickles she had made. I remember
> asking for them first thing every time I stayed there. She has long
> since passed away, and only one person I've asked has known what I'm
> talking about, but she didn't know how to make them. I know she used
> food coloring in them as they were either bright red or bright
> green...she may have called them christmas pickles. They were sliced
> about as big as silver dollars and they had a very sweet, very tangy
> taste.....so tangy, if you ate too many, your tongue would start to
> burn. Some one told me they had heard they were made with "red hots"
> candies, but it may have just been plain cinnamon. They were in a
> syrup the consistancy of nectar or maybe a little thicker, and they
> were very crisp. Has anyone ever had these? I would love to be able to
> make them. I've enjoyed reading your posts. Thanks for the ideas!
>
>
> ~North
> Could they be "mostarda de cremona", which are Italian pickles very much
> as you describe but in my experience they are very hot until they have
> been open for some time when the heat seems to go out of them.
>

"Fatima Blush" > wrote in message
...
> I've been lurking for a few days, and I thought if anyone could help
> me, it would be someone here. When I was very young, between 5 and 7,
> my babysitter would feed me these pickles she had made. I remember
> asking for them first thing every time I stayed there. She has long
> since passed away, and only one person I've asked has known what I'm
> talking about, but she didn't know how to make them. I know she used
> food coloring in them as they were either bright red or bright
> green...she may have called them christmas pickles. They were sliced
> about as big as silver dollars and they had a very sweet, very tangy
> taste.....so tangy, if you ate too many, your tongue would start to
> burn. Some one told me they had heard they were made with "red hots"
> candies, but it may have just been plain cinnamon. They were in a
> syrup the consistancy of nectar or maybe a little thicker, and they
> were very crisp. Has anyone ever had these? I would love to be able to
> make them. I've enjoyed reading your posts. Thanks for the ideas!
>
>
> ~North
> Could they be "mostarda de cremona", which are Italian pickles very much
> as you describe but in my experience they are very hot until they have
> been open for some time when the heat seems to go out of them.
>

"Fatima Blush" > wrote in message
...
> I've been lurking for a few days, and I thought if anyone could help
> me, it would be someone here. When I was very young, between 5 and 7,
> my babysitter would feed me these pickles she had made. I remember
> asking for them first thing every time I stayed there. She has long
> since passed away, and only one person I've asked has known what I'm
> talking about, but she didn't know how to make them. I know she used
> food coloring in them as they were either bright red or bright
> green...she may have called them christmas pickles. They were sliced
> about as big as silver dollars and they had a very sweet, very tangy
> taste.....so tangy, if you ate too many, your tongue would start to
> burn. Some one told me they had heard they were made with "red hots"
> candies, but it may have just been plain cinnamon. They were in a
> syrup the consistancy of nectar or maybe a little thicker, and they
> were very crisp. Has anyone ever had these? I would love to be able to
> make them. I've enjoyed reading your posts. Thanks for the ideas!
>
>
> ~North
> Could they be "mostarda de cremona", which are Italian pickles very much
> as you describe but in my experience they are very hot until they have
> been open for some time when the heat seems to go out of them.
>

Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
learn how to make these. I'm tickled!


On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 02:10:02 -0500, wrote:

>Your memory is correct; they ARE made with red hots!
>
>CHRISTMAS PICKLES
>Recipe By :
>Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
>Categories : Holidays
> Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
>-------- ------------ ------------------------------
> -----SOAKING SOLUTION-----
> 9 Large cucumbers -- (8 to 10)
> 2 c Pickling lime
> 2 ga Water
> -----BOILING SOLUTION-----
> 1 c Vinegar
> 1 Bottle Red Food Coloring
> (Shilling's is prettiest)
> 1 tb Alum
> -----SYRUP-----
> 2 c Vinegar
> 10 c Sugar -- (5 pounds)
> 2 c Water
> 14 oz Red hots -- (12-14 oz.)
> 8 Cinnamon sticks -- l per jar
> 2 ts Salt
> 8 pt Canning jars
>
> 1. Peel and remove seeds from 8 to 10 large cucumbers. Seeds can be
>removed with an apple corer. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide rings. Soak
>overnight in lime and water in a porcelain container (use non-aluminum).
>
> 2. Wash, drain; soak in clear water and covered with ice cubes for 3
>hours. Drain.
>
> 3. Put in large pot. Cover with water and other ingredients for the
>boiling solution. Boil for 1 hour; then drain.
>
> 4. Make syrup and bring to boil to
>dissolve sugar. Use one cinnamon stick for each jar you think you will
>have. Pour syrup over cucumbers and let stand overnight.
>
> 5. Drain syrup from cucumbers into separate pan and bring to a boil.
>Pour back over cucumbers. After cool, cover with Saran wrap.
>
>6. Repeat step 5 for 3 days.
>
>7. On the fourth morning, heat syrup again. While heating, pack
>cucumbers in sterilized pint jars (larger jars can be used) with
>cinnamon stick. Pour heated juice into jars to fill up almost to top. If
>you don't have enough, make more juice of water and red food coloring.
>Seal jars. Putting in water bath is optional.
>
>"I've been lurking for a few days, and I thought if anyone could help
>me, it would be someone here. When I was very young, between 5 and 7, my
>babysitter would feed me these pickles she had made. I remember asking
>for them first thing every time I stayed there. She has long since
>passed away, and only one person I've asked has known what I'm talking
>about, but she didn't know how to make them. I know she used food
>coloring in them as they were either bright red or bright green...she
>may have called them christmas pickles. They were sliced about as big as
>silver dollars and they had a very sweet, very tangy taste.....so tangy,
>if you ate too many, your tongue would start to burn. Some one told me
>they had heard they were made with "red hots" candies, but it may have
>just been plain cinnamon. They were in a syrup the consistancy of nectar
>or maybe a little thicker, and they were very crisp. Has anyone ever had
>these? I would love to be able to make them. I've enjoyed reading your
>posts. Thanks for the ideas!
>~North"
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Fatima Blush wrote:

> Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
> learn how to make these. I'm tickled!

Now isn't this recipe one for my files? Come lurk over to
rec.food.preserving. Our FAQ with some tips & tricks & publications at
http://www.gbronline.com/jacke/rfpfaq/rfpFAQ.htm
Edrena

Fatima Blush wrote:

> Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
> learn how to make these. I'm tickled!

Now isn't this recipe one for my files? Come lurk over to
rec.food.preserving. Our FAQ with some tips & tricks & publications at
http://www.gbronline.com/jacke/rfpfaq/rfpFAQ.htm
Edrena

Fatima wrote:

"Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
learn how to make these. I'm tickled!"

Glad to hear the pickles tickle. But I can't help but wonder who the
heck thought of using red hots to make pickles in the first place!

Fatima wrote:

"Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
learn how to make these. I'm tickled!"

Glad to hear the pickles tickle. But I can't help but wonder who the
heck thought of using red hots to make pickles in the first place!

I dont know, but I use them when canning pears and apples, both in chunks
and sauce. Got that idea from my mom.

Dwayne

> wrote in message
...
> Fatima wrote:
>
> "Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
> learn how to make these. I'm tickled!"
>
> Glad to hear the pickles tickle. But I can't help but wonder who the
> heck thought of using red hots to make pickles in the first place!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

I dont know, but I use them when canning pears and apples, both in chunks
and sauce. Got that idea from my mom.

Dwayne

> wrote in message
...
> Fatima wrote:
>
> "Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
> learn how to make these. I'm tickled!"
>
> Glad to hear the pickles tickle. But I can't help but wonder who the
> heck thought of using red hots to make pickles in the first place!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

In article >,
wrote:

> Fatima wrote:
>
> "Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
> learn how to make these. I'm tickled!"
>
> Glad to hear the pickles tickle. But I can't help but wonder who the
> heck thought of using red hots to make pickles in the first place!

Probably the same soul who puts red hots into applesauce for cinnamony
applesauce -- pink at that. My sister does it and it's pretty darned
good. :-)
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 10-22-04; Popovers!.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.

In article >,
wrote:

> Fatima wrote:
>
> "Oh wow. Thank you so much! I've never made pickles before, but I must
> learn how to make these. I'm tickled!"
>
> Glad to hear the pickles tickle. But I can't help but wonder who the
> heck thought of using red hots to make pickles in the first place!

Probably the same soul who puts red hots into applesauce for cinnamony
applesauce -- pink at that. My sister does it and it's pretty darned
good. :-)
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 10-22-04; Popovers!.
"Peace will come when the power of love overcomes the love of power."
-Jimi Hendrix, and Lt. Joe Corcoran, Retired; St. Paul PD, Homicide Divn.