Have you ever bitten into a pickle and found it to be a limp yucky slimy mess (not to mention that it has artificial coloring in there to make it green???)?  If you make your own, use a lime soak, and that won’t happen! These are minimal work and make great gifts!

I got a great deal on little cucumbers at the Farmers’ Market this past weekend so I started making dill pickles this evening.

First, wash seven pounds of cukes. Snip off any blossom ends.

Add a cup of lime to a glass bowl (I have small bowls so I had to use three and divide the lime among the bowls) and add a little water, whisking it together.

Add the cukes, add very cold water to cover the cukes, and use a glass plate to hold the cukes submerged.

Now I’ll leave these soaking overnight and finish them up tomorrow (click here to see the rest of how to make pickles)!

Please note the lime will start to sink in the water. Just stir it every so often with a wooden spoon. It doesn’t hurt anything for it to separate.  This is the lime I use (make sure any lime you use for this is labeled pickling lime!).