# Today is a tragic day for me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718 "2015-03-22T22:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/1 "2015-03-22T22:00:40Z")
Today I ate the last of the home-canned dill pickles. I dumped the remaining debris through a strainer so I could pick out the last morsels of deliciousness and add them to my spicy salami sandwich, and then. . .they were gone. :😭: No more until late summer, and no more _really_ good ones for 6 months to a year after they’re canned. Worse yet, the sweet pickles disappeared a few months ago. Where did we go wrong? Why did we make so few? How can I continue living? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/2 "2015-03-22T22:04:44Z")
Fork you. Just a suggestion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/3 "2015-03-22T22:38:55Z")
I would advise drowning your sorrows in some quality beer! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/4 "2015-03-22T23:35:05Z")
Pickle back! ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/5 "2015-03-22T23:56:06Z")
Aww. You poor thing, I feel for you. You’ll just have to adjust your recipe to take into account your pickle munching habit. Figure out how many jars you eat per week/month and increase it up to that amount. And then maybe add 5 jars just to be safe. 😉 Just one more reason to look forward to summer. How many jars of each do you usually put up? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/6 "2015-03-23T01:18:22Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Aww. You poor thing, I feel for you. You’ll just have to adjust your recipe to take into account your pickle munching habit. Figure out how many jars you eat per week/month and increase it up to that amount. And then maybe add 5 jars just to be safe. 😉 > > Just one more reason to look forward to summer. > > How many jars of each do you usually put up? The dills were actually left over from 2013. We never got around to canning any last year after doing 40 lbs of tomatoes and 110 pounds of freestone peaches. We made a mistake in our planting, also. We bought what was labeled as a pickling cuke plant, but it turned out to be sandistas ([watermelon cukes](http://www.thekitchn.com/look-mexican-cucumbers-heres-what-you-need-to-know-ingredient-intelligence-207324)). The plant produces tons of cukes, but they’re tiny so need to be pickled whole. They didn’t come out as well as we had hoped, so there are 3 quarts sitting in the fridge right now. I guess I can muddle through, but they’re not spiced like the dills and are difficult to use on a sandwich. :mad: As any canner knows, once you’ve had properly canned pickles, nothing commercial comes anywhere close. It’s all just too distressing and is giving me a case of the vapors. I guess it’s a consolation that we have enough peaches and tomatoes to last us until canning time. I guess. Not. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/7 "2015-03-23T01:27:04Z")
That’s a dilly of a pickle. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/8 "2015-03-23T01:49:54Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > sandistas ([watermelon cukes](http://www.thekitchn.com/look-mexican-cucumbers-heres-what-you-need-to-know-ingredient-intelligence-207324)). OMG, cute! I grew those stupid trendy lemon cukes two summers ago. Useless things. All seedy and thorny and stupid. Never again! Back to normal cukes for me. I only make fridge pickles, but I do loves them. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/9 "2015-03-23T05:36:17Z")
I know that pain, but mine was the last jar of my grandma’s pickles after she passed away. They were like pickle shaped sugar sticks but we loved them. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/10 "2015-03-23T06:04:18Z")
I made some sort of relish thing a few years ago, I really need to do that again. I feel your pain though. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/11 "2015-03-23T12:49:07Z")
> [@InsomniaMama](#): > > … I only make fridge pickles, but I do loves them. Recipe(s), please! Condolences to the OP. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/12 "2015-03-23T14:40:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Recipe(s), please! > > Condolences to the OP. ☹ I make refrigerator pickles and [this recipe from Good Eats](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/kinda-sorta-sours-recipe.html)is what I use. They are ready to eat in one day and can last two weeks in the fridge. Never had a pickle anywhere near as good. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/13 "2015-03-23T14:43:54Z")
> [@InsomniaMama](#): > > OMG, cute! I grew those stupid trendy lemon cukes two summers ago. Useless things. All seedy and thorny and stupid. Never again! Back to normal cukes for me. I only make fridge pickles, but I do loves them. They’re apparently expensive in produce stores (if you can find them), and they’re pretty good raw. Some trendy restaurants put them on salads. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/14 "2015-03-23T14:45:26Z")
I made pickles for the first time last year and was so proud and excited I gave a lot of them away. As a result I have been pickle-less since Christmas. Coincidentally that was when we ran out of pickled beets too. Damn guests. We’re down to our last jar of spaghetti sauce too. On the other hand does anyone want strawberry jam? Strawberry lime (amazing but so much of it) or strawberry banana (I was suspicious but this is delicious although too sweet) or strawberry rhubarb or just plain strawberry? This year we’ve already agreed that we make less jam and more of everything else. And any jam we do make this year will be raspberry damn it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/15 "2015-03-23T15:43:11Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > I make refrigerator pickles and [this recipe from Good Eats](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/kinda-sorta-sours-recipe.html)is what I use. They are ready to eat in one day and can last two weeks in the fridge. Never had a pickle anywhere near as good. Ooooo, nice. I’m going to start a batch tomorrow! ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/16 "2015-03-23T15:48:47Z")
I am sorry for your loss. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/17 "2015-03-23T16:46:18Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > I made pickles for the first time last year and was so proud and excited I gave a lot of them away. > > As a result I have been pickle-less since Christmas. Coincidentally that was when we ran out of pickled beets too. Damn guests. > > We’re down to our last jar of spaghetti sauce too. On the other hand does anyone want strawberry jam? Strawberry lime (amazing but so much of it) or strawberry banana (I was suspicious but this is delicious although too sweet) or strawberry rhubarb or just plain strawberry? > > This year we’ve already agreed that we make less jam and more of everything else. And any jam we do make this year will be raspberry damn it. Full up on jam, including strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and marionberry. Some of the older strawberry is more like syrup than jam because we were novices at it and used the drip test instead of the temperature test. If it doesn’t get to eight degrees above boiling, it’s not going to gel. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/18 "2015-03-23T16:47:57Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Ooooo, nice. I’m going to start a batch tomorrow! Mine is [easier and has fewer ingredients](http://bigbluestem.blogspot.com/search?q=Cuke), but you should probably try both and report back! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/19 "2015-03-23T17:49:42Z")
> [@InsomniaMama](#): > > Mine is [easier and has fewer ingredients](http://bigbluestem.blogspot.com/search?q=Cuke), but you should probably try both and report back! Excellent idea! ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718/20 "2015-03-23T19:28:29Z")
I’m down to 2 jars myself, and am on strict rationing, but there’s no way they are going to last until the next batch is ready, in fact they’ll probably be gone before I get the seeds in the ground. Every year I make V-12 juice (homemade V-8, but with more stuff) and it is just my favorite thing. I made 24 quarts of vegetable juice last fall, thinking it would hold us over until spring. Turns out my 4-year-old boy loves the stuff and it was gone by January. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-is-a-tragic-day-for-me/715718.md?page=2)