Fall Is In The Air

~And I Am In The Kitchen~


The day is chilly and rainy so what better time for doing some preserving!  The garden is giving me green peppers and onions.  I have some cucumbers left after making dill pickles and this says Green Barbecue Relish to me.

This recipe comes from a pamphlet put out by Heinz sometime in the 70's.  It's a miracle that it has real food ingredients!  Gourmet in that era usually involved dumping a bottle of barbecue sauce or a can of soup into the mixture.  Yuk.


This is easy to make, all natural and tastes Tony the Tiger great!  (sorry 70's fashback)

Take some of this ~

I use all natural vinegar.  It think the regular stuff is pretty close to mimeograph fluid.  You would have to have been around in the 70's to know what that is.  Just trust me on this not being a good thing.

Carefully, cut the cucumbers, onions, and peppers into tiny, uniform size pieces.  Kidding!  Toss them in a food processor and finely chop them.

Dump that in a bowl.  Please notice the beautiful yellow bowl.  It's vintage and made by Medalta Potteries in
Medicine Hat, Alberta.  My grandfather, Jesse (Will) Wyatt was one of the founders and acting superintendent of that pottery.  I love that bowl!

Also, take note of my new measuring spoons.  They are rectangular and very chic.  I have an old set but they are unexciting because they are round.  The new ones also have a 1/8th measure which comes in handy now I am cutting recipes to feed one person.  If you feel you can't live with round measuring spoons any longer, I recommend Norpro 8/10 stainless steel.  If Norpro takes this as a product endorsement and sends me a bunch, I'll pass them on to you.  I can really only use one set.

Leave the veggies in the Medalta bowl, sprinkled with the salt from the rectangular measuring spoons, overnight.  If you live in a house with three cats, I recommend a lid or it becomes a big, salty water bowl for them and your relish will have cat spit in it.  Ewwww!


In the morning, drain the veggies and rinse with cold water.  Drain again.  In a large, stainless steel pot boil the vinegar, sugar and spice bag and reduce heat to simmer for 10 mins.  Add the veggies and heat to boiling point.  Stir, occasionally with the cool, wooden spoon a friend brought back from Greece for me.  I think it is made in Meteobo.  I can't be sure as the Greeks seem to be a nation of dyslexics and write some letters backwards.  I can make dyslexic jokes because I am one.

Pack into hot, sterilized jars.
~Done~

Here is the recipe:

Sweet Green Relish ~
12 small cucumbers, unpeeled (4-6")
2 medium onions
1 medium green pepper
3 Tbsp. coarse pickling salt
1 1/2 cups natural, white vinegar
! 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbls. mixed pickling spice tied in cheesecloth
Chop veggies finely
Sprinkle with salt and let stand overnight
Drain and rinse
Bring to boil vinegar, sugar, spice and simmer 10 mins.
Add veggies and heat to boiling point.
Pack into hot, sterilized sealer jars.
Makes 3 pints

This recipe turns out best if you are listening to the Carly Simon Hotcakes album and wearing flares.