• The optional spices are a list of common pickling spices. You will want to use at least one of them, but don't use them all, or if you do, use no more than 1tablespoon total.

Brine

• Dissolve the pickling salt in the saucepan with boiling water and vinegar, and include your chosen dried spices.
• Add the cold water to the brine. If you are not sure how to measure 2 cups of ice cubes, pour the hot brine into a 4-cup glass measuring cup and add the ice cubes until the volume of the glass measures 3 cups.

Jarring

• Making sure the cucumbers are washed first, slice them lengthwise into halves or quarters.
• Put the sliced cucumbers in the 1 quart jar (or 2 pint jars), with the garlic and grape leaf. Keep the leaf close to the top so you can remove it later.
• Pour the brine over this and cover the jar with cheesecloth. You may secure this with either a rubber band, or the ring of the jar if you are using canning jars.
• Put the jar in a dark cool corner to ferment. Leave them for 2 - 6 days depending on how sour you like your pickles.
• Remove the grape leaf, put the jar lid on, and put into the refrigerator.
• Lasts up to 2 months in the refrigerator.