Cornichons

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Kim Lovely for sending us this, along with a warning that it
might bust the ol' World Wide Recipes Groan-O-Meter:

A very lovely young lady smote a young man. Unfortunately she did not
return the feeling. In desperation he went and visited a group of
witches searching for a love potion. They informed him that they no
longer provided such an item. It was highly unethical to administer a
potion to someone without her permission. They did have an alternate
solution. They sold him a bottle of small white pellets. He was to
bury one in her yard every night at midnight for a month.

He returned to the witches six weeks later, excited and thankful. He
and the young lady were to wed in a month. The witch told him,
"Nothin' says lovin' like something from a coven, and pills buried say
it best."

[Translation for overseas readers: "Nothin' says lovin' like something
from the oven, and Pillsbury says it best" is the advertising slogan
of a well-known producer of baked goods in the United States.]

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I have mentioned these tart little pickles several times in the ezine,
and it's finally time to present the recipe. Cornichons are the traditional
French accompaniment to pate. They can sometimes be found in jars
in upscale supermarkets and they are available in bulk at many Whole
Foods stores. Do not confuse them with sweet or kosher gherkins
- these have a completely different taste. The cucumbers should be no
larger than my pinkie finger, and the only way I have ever been able
to make them was to grow the cucumbers myself because I have never
seen cucumbers small enough in a market. Although some seed catalogs
offer varieties specially suited for cornichons, any type of cucumber
will do as long as you harvest them every day, before they grow too large.

Cornichons

Tiny cucumbers no larger than 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in length
Kosher salt
White wine vinegar
Sprigs of fresh tarragon (optional)

Wash the cucumber thoroughly, removing the fine hairs by rubbing them
between your hands under running water. Place in a bowl and cover
with kosher salt. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours - the
cucumbers will have released liquid and the salt will have dissolved.
Drain the cucumbers and place them in sterile jars. Fill the jars
with vinegar, add the optional tarragon, and store tightly sealed. They
will be ready to eat in 48 hours, and will keep refrigerated for several
months.
Received on Thu Sep 16 10:28:30 2004