*FINAL UPDATE: Thursday 8/11 5:15 pm

It’s a pickle party! Check it out on Facebook or Twitter #pickleparty

Yup, Shauna from Gluten-free Girl and the Chef has declared another wonderful day for people around the world to get together and make something delicious.  This month? It’s pickles.  Pickles are near and dear to my heart and I have honestly never made them before! We usually get a very heavy supply of pickles from Brad’s grandma and mom (as in I have close to 20 jars of jams, jellies, and pickles right now) so I never felt the need to make them.  I was also very intimidated by canning – but now that I have gotten over that fear, it’s pickle time. Specifically it’s spicy green bean refrigerator pickle time!

This post is going to be a bit different for a few reasons:

1.) I’ve never done a real-time post and think it would be fun!

2.) Parties should be interactive

3.) I totally blanked on the pickle party (even though it has been on my Google calendar for months) until 7:30am this morning. Um, oops. (This also explains my less than stellar photos. Photography at 7:30am without coffee = tough ).

So here is how it is going to work: I’m going to show you guys my prep and share my completely made up recipe while the refrigerator pickles do their thing for the day.  I’ll post pack and update on some progress later this afternoon.

Ready, set, pickle!

Spicy Coriander Pickled Green Beans

Why green beans? Because they’re delicious that’s why!

12 oz. or so of fresh, gorgeous green beans

1 tsp. peppercorns

1/2 tsp. coriander seeds

1 very tiny garden fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced (or use half of a regular or a full one if you’re feeling fiesty)

3 whole cloves garlic

1 Tbsp. salt

1 cup water

1 cup white distilled vinegar

1. Clean and prep your beans.

2. Add your spices to your big fat mason jar (p.s. I love mason jars, I’m so glad I have hoards of them)

3. Pack in your green beans, try to get them as vertical as you can.  This didn’t really happen for me since my green beans are curvy.

4. Tuck your garlic cloves in between the beans.

5. Mix vinegar, water, and salt together until salt dissolves.  Pour this over your beans in your jar. Pop in the fridge.

6. Hurry up and wait.

***************************************************************************************************************

Updated 3:50pm

I’m back with the first real-time pickle party update! I must confess that I raced home from work to do two things: give my soon-to-be husband a great big hug (and bat my eyelashes so he will do dishes), and taste the pickling green beans!

I was a bit apprehensive after I put the jar in the fridge this morning and I was afraid that they would taste god awful.  I just cracked open the jar and snuck a tiny bite of green bean and wow. First, you can see that the brine is getting a bit of color to it which means that there is a flavor party happening, which is always a good thing. Second, they already have the spicy coriander garlic flavor but it is subtle. Third, the vinegar is a bit abrasive but it will mellow out.  So far, so good.  I’m glad I made a bunch of brine because I am going to reuse to pickle some other things (carmen peppers, I’m looking at you).

I can’t wait to taste these tonight and see how they progress!

********************************************************************************************************************

Updated 8:00pm

I’m happy to report that the pickled green beans are developing quite nicely.  Their flavors are becoming much more pronounced and that brine is heavenly. My only wish is that I used a smaller jar however I was out of jars – which is insanely hard to believe considering how many I have.  It is getting even darker in color and that much more flavorful.  Yum!

I will be back tomorrow to post a final update on the finished product.  Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out all the pickle party goodness on Facebook and Twitter!

*****************************************************************************************************************

Last update! Thurday 8/21 5:15pm

The green beans are ready! And they are delicious. They’re crunchy, tangy, bright, and spicy.  I honestly can’t believe how simply this whole process really was. I forsee many pickled things in my future. Thanks everyone for joining the real-time pickle party! Now go forth and pickle!