Save Money by Pickling it Yourself

Problem: we live across the street from a supermarket

It’s become a daily cry – “I’m off to the supermarket!” In the good old days, this cry evoked pictures of appetizing food and fruit and other culinary delights. In these recessionary times it simply evokes nervousness. In these times, replacing spent money has become a major challenge. Some of these supermarket trips are serious and have to be financed by a Cash Advance.

The proximity plus

Living across the street from a supermarket presents many different facets, none of which I was aware of when we purchased the apartment. It is very convenient. Pour cereal into your plate in the morning, open the fridge to take out the … “Hey, there’s no milk!!” I grab money, sprint across the bridge, race up the escalator into the supermarket, grab a box of milk, push my way through the express line and I am back home in about 2 minutes. The plate of cereal is waiting patiently. The same applies to anything during the day. It’s just too easy and the best news is that because we are pensioners, we get a 7 percent discount on everything we buy there.

The proximity minus

But it’s not all good news. The supermarket is smart. They have a game of sudden and unexpected over- and under-pricing and if one doesn’t watch the prices and buys without looking, you fall straight into their trap. There is no sign hanging at the entrance that says “Caveat Emptor” or “Buyer Beware”. You are on your own and at the mercy of the supermarket price-fixers. This time we won.

“I’m off to the supermarket!”

I heard the cry this morning, but I was in the midst of a complicated article and managed a grunt. I was aware of the squeak on the shopping bag contraption that my wife uses to save her lugging the groceries home. An hour later I heard the front door bell. I flung it open and there stood my wife, her arms folded around full paper bags, the wheeled shopping bag overflowing. “I couldn’t get to the keys.” I stood gaping, about to repeat speech No. 23, the one about the recession which includes holding back in the supermarket. “I got a bargain!” she said excitedly.

The bargain

“Cucumbers are 19 cents a pound! Can you believe that?”

“And what will we do with all these pounds of cucumbers?” I ask carefully.

“I’m going to pickle them, Pete. Remember those delicious pickles that we used to eat at Aunt Mildred’s house? Well, I got the family recipe from her and that’s what I’m going do!”

The recipe

I was in the kitchen in a flash, my article abandoned in mid-sentence. It was all too simple. This recipe is for a 2-pint glass jar of pickles.

Wash and slice 3 large or 6 medium sized cucumbers into rounds, not too thin.

Prepare the pickling solution as follows:

2 cups of water

1 cup of vinegar

1 tablespoon of salt

4 tablespoons of sugar

8 bay-leaves

12 peppercorns

Bring the mixture to a boil, add cucumbers and turn them until the color changes – approximately 5 minutes.

Put into a jar and allow to cool before placing in the fridge.

You’re in business

I’m seriously thinking about designing and printing my own labels as well.