Jalapeño Peppers

The kitchen is toxic with the smells of vinegar and hot peppers. Coughing, sneezing... it'll clear your head! On the menu today... pickled jalapeño peppers. Here's the recipe:

Ridiculously Easy Jalapeño Pickles
from the "Fat Free Vegan Kitchen"

Ingredients

• 8 ounces jalapeño peppers (number will depend on size of peppers)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar or more cider vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic sliced in half lengthwise
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

1. Prepare jars and lids by cleaning them well in hot water. One recipe will fill 2 8-ounce jars or 1 16-20 ounce jar, approximately.
2. Wearing protective gloves, slice the peppers about 1/4-inch thick; discard the stem ends. Pack the pepper rings into jars.
3. Place remaining ingredients into a non-reactive saucepan and heat until it comes to a full boil.
4. Pour the vinegar mixture over the peppers until it covers them, and arrange the garlic slices on top. Seal the jars and allow them to come down to room temperature before refrigerating. You can use them immediately, but the flavor will mellow a little if you let them rest for a couple of days.
5. Jalapeno pickles should keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Discard if any signs of mold appear.

I'm sad to report that the hot pepper bed is not doing so well this year. The jalapeños are producing a prolific crop, but the anaheim, the banana, and the poblano peppers are not setting fruit.

I hear from local gardeners that the failure to set fruit is a problem with lots of different plants this summer. Apparently, we had a spell of hot, dry weather at a crucial time.