We are in full-blown farmers market mode here in Vermont, and I’m loving every second of it.  While cucumbers are available all year round and can always be found in my fridge, nothing beats the fresh, crispy, oh-so-versatile cucumbers I covet from our local farmers.  I serve them plain with a pinch of kosher salt, in salsas, relishes, on sandwiches, hell I even puree & strain them for some kick-ass cocktails!

Now that we’ve established my love of the cucumber, let me share with you one of my favorite things to make with them – QUICKLES!!!!!  Quick pickles, or as I have come lovingly labeled them “quickles”, are a really fast, easy and delicious way to bring cucumbers to life.  If you google “pickled cucumbers”, there are a million recipes/versions of them out there, most of which I”m sure are delicious.  So here’s what you will to make these tasty little wonders:

• 1 cucumber (I use hothouse if available since they are fleshier and have fewer seeds), sliced into rounds
• 2/3 C. white wine vinegar
• 2/3 C. water
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. dill weed (dried works fine since it is being added to a liquid mixture)

Now feel free to tweak this recipe to your taste.  If you like a sweeter pickle (leaning towards the bread+butter side), add a little more sugar, if you like things salty, bump up the kosher salt.  I’m also a little bit of a dill nut, so sometimes 1 t. doesn’t cut it.

Add all the ingredients into a bowl with a lid, secure and give a good shake.  Put in the fridge and let them go!  I would give them at least 2 hours before serving to give them a chance to pick up some tartness and get chilly.  They will only get more pickled with time, so get ready to pucker up the next day!  I sometimes make a little “farm plate” for lunch with the fresh pickles, some grape tomatoes, sliced apple and any type of Vermont cheese I have knocking around (the kind below happens to be Cabot Horseradish cheese).

Well, I hope this gives you a little inspiration and brightens up your next meal.  Give them a try, I guarantee you’ll love them!