Good Pickle Year and Gingersnaps!

From the country...

pickled cornichon, garlic scape, bread n' butter pickles, carrots with fenugreek and dilly beans.

We adore our pickles around here- making them, laying them out on  pickle trays and of course eating them. This year has been an exceptional pickle year for us. I think the secret that took us way too long to realize is- small batches. Everything is better when done in smaller batches. Quality ingredients and fresh fruit/vegetables are key as well to making show stopping preserves.  More labour may be involved with smaller batches but better quality pickles in the end. I love the crispness and slight garlic zing of the pickled garlic scapes and the bread n' butter pickles that Amy and I made last summer are the best batch yet- sweet and crisp.

A ginger SNAP!

Here is a recipe for quite possibly the best gingersnap cookies that I have had. Maybe it was a result of this amazing powdered ginger that was gifted to me for my Thanksgiving baking. Mark bought it for me here along with cinnamon and nutmeg. This particular recipe is sandwich cookie recipe with raspberry jam but we used left over cream cheese frosting from Millie Mae's birthday carrot cupcakes.

Yum!