Pickling 101
There are four basic types of pickles. The first is fresh pack, which is like the refrigerator pickles covered later in this chapter. It is blissfully simple to prepare. Second is fruit pickles that are prepared with a sugar-vinegar syrup. Third is chutney and relish, such as the recipes provided in Chapter 6. Finally, the most popular is salt-cured or brined pickles. No matter what type of pickle you intend to preserve, always start with firm fruits or vegetables, fresh spices, and clean water. If you’re harvesting your own fruits and vegetables, do so early in the morning and refrigerate them immediately before preparing all your pickling equipment. This is also true of store-bought items. Heat makes pickled items softer.
Kimchi has been around for more than 3,000 years. In its earliest form, it was simply cabbage salted and aged to create the pickling effect. Later, herbs (hot pepper, scallions, garlic) and sometimes other vegetables (cucumber and radish) were added to the blend to customize the dish.
