Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   7      pounds        cucumbers -- - (1-1/2 inch or
                        -- les
     1/2  cup           canning or pickling salt
   8      cups          sugar
   6      cups          vinegar -- (5 percent)
     3/4  teaspoon      turmeric
   2      teaspoons     celery seeds
   2      teaspoons     whole mixed pickling spice
   2                    cinnamon sticks
     1/2  teaspoon      fennel -- (optional)
   2      teaspoons     vanilla -- (optional)

Preparation:

Yield: 6 to 7 pints Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4-inch of stem attached. Place cucumbers in large container and cover with boiling water. Six to 8 hours later, and on the second day, drain and cover with 6 quarts of fresh boiling water containing 1/4-cup salt. On the third day, drain and prick cucumbers with a table fork. Combine and bring to boil 3 cups vinegar, 3 cups sugar, turmeric, and spices. Pour over cucumbers. Six to 8 hours later, drain and save the pickling syrup. Add another 2 cups each of sugar and vinegar and reheat to boil. Pour over pickles. On the fourth day, drain and save syrup. Add another 2 cups sugar and 1 cup vinegar. Heat to boiling and pour over pickles. Drain and save pickling syrup 6 to 8 hours later. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla and heat to boiling. Fill sterile pint jars, with pickles and cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. For more information on sterilizing jars see "Jars and Lids". Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1, or use the low-temperature pasteurization treatment. (For more information see "Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment".) Table 1. Recommended process time for Sweet Gherkin Pickles in a boiling-water canner. Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints. Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 5 min. 1,001 - 6,000 ft: 10 min. Above 6,000 ft: 15 min. * USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994)