I’m in a pickle, literally. I canned almost 40 jars last night until the early morning hours, and what you’re about to read will be the shortest article I ever write.

We did bread and butter pickles. It’s a long process, one I learned from my mother and my aunt. I have no intentions of publishing it at this time but if you really want the recipe, I can e-mail it to you.

The Boys & Girls Club called and they need a dessert for their fundraiser on Saturday at Fox Hollow, so I’d better get back into the kitchen. I am going to give you a very simple recipe for my mother’s refrigerator pickles. They are great with a simple grilled cheese sandwich or a spicy bloody mary.

Flo’s Refrigerator Pickles

20 4-inch cucumbers

5-6 stalks of dill

8 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon alum

1 cup pickling salt ( I use 3/4 cup, do not use salt with iodine — pickling salt only)

1 quart cider vinegar (brown, not white)

3 quarts water (non-chlorine)

Wash cucumbers. Let stand in the refrigerator overnight. Put into clean big glass jars and add dill, garlic and alum.

Heat the brine salt, water and vinegar until it comes to a boil. Pour over the pickles in the jar and let cool. Then refrigerate the pickles, and they will last at least six months.

This recipe is easy and the pickles are delicious. Don’t get yourself into a pickle this week and have a great week in the kitchen.