Sampling from “Scotch Colony Hearts and Hearths” History/Cookbook, now available for $20, proceeds to support Scotch Colony Fest140, August 23-25, 2013.

Carolyn & Mavis Smith & Shirley Miller at the Perth-Andover Market

Dutch Pickles
Recipe by Mavis (Barclay) Smith
12 large cucumbers
6 onions
1/3 c coarse salt
Water to cover
5 c vinegar
6 1/2 c white sugar
6 Tbsp flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
Vinegar to make a paste
Peel cucumbers and remove the seeds. Cut in small pieces.
Peel onions and cut in small pieces. Place vegs in large enamel or stainless pot and add coarse salt and enough water to cover. Sit overnight. Drain well in the morning.
Put the vinegar in the pot with the cucumber/onion mixture. Bring to a boil. Add the sugar and cook until the cukes begin to look transparent.
In a small bowl mix the flour and spices, adding enough vinegar to make a paste when whisked with a fork. Add this thickening gradually to the hot cuke mixture stirring while you do this. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Taste, as sometimes the mix needs more sugar.
Bottle while hot in sterile sealer jars.
Personal Notes: My mother, Myra (Robinson) Barclay made these pickles every fall and they are one of my family’s favourites. Sometimes I cut up a red pepper and add it to the cucumbers. (Read more about Mavis Smith with her recipe for Jelly Cookies in the dessert section.)