It's easy to find yourself in a pickle

By now, you might realize that I am not only more or less a sandwichaterian, but also that I'm pretty condiment crazy. Relishes, chutneys, ketchups, mustards, spreads, pickles—I can't get enough.

Why, then, don't I make them more often? That's a great question, and one I determined to answer this weekend with a batch of quick refrigerator pickles.

I cut the amount of sugar by quite a bit from the original recipe (I'm not terrifically fond of sweet pickles), and opted for cumin seed in place of celery. I also added garlic cloves to the jars before pouring the brine in, and think that next time I might also include sliced onions—which just allows me to point out how versatile this base is, and how quick. In a mere two hours, I had the perfect cucumber pickles to chop with hard-boiled egg for a quick salad, and I'm already dreaming of the beet-topped veggie burger I'll tuck into for dinner tomorrow night.

Go ahead: Getcherself in a pickle. You'll be glad you did.

Gently adapted from Everyday Food

2 cups white vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp coarse sea salt 1/2 tsp mustard seed 1/2 tsp cumin seed 1/8 tsp tumeric 1–2 small chiles, diced 1 bunch dill, washed 1 garlic clove veg you like (I used sliced cukes and beets)

Arrange vegetables, garlic, and dill in one or more jars with tight-fitting lids. Meanwhile, mix vinegar, sugar, salt, spices, and chiles in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until all the sugar has disolved. Pour the liquid into the jars, being sure to cover the vegetables completely, and seal the lids. Refrigerate for at least two hours and up to one week.