In pickling news, I have made my first attempt at gherkins/American pickles. My recipe* involved the following:

• Tiny cucumbers, sliced
  
• Garlic granules
  
• Two bay leaves
  
• Enough coarse sea salt to form a thick layer on the bottom of the jar
  
• Tablespoon of peppercorns
  
• Water
  
• Fermenting jar (1.4 litres)
  
• Time (1 week)

I tried them after seven days and they weren’t quite right, so I dumped in more salt and waited three more days. They taste almost exactly like the gherkins you would buy from the supermarket, even without the mustard seeds, but I feel as if something else is missing. Could it be sugar? If you have a favourite gherkin/American pickle recipe, please share it in the comments.

( 366 meme questions, 15-21 Jan )

* recipe does not contain any actual merkin. Please do not google with tea in your mouth.