To pickle Cucumbers to look very green

PERIOD: England, 17th century | SOURCE: The Cooks Guide: Or, Rare Receipts for Cookery, 1654 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: How to pickle cucumbers

Take those that you mean to pickle, and lay them in water and salt three or four daies; then take a good many great Cucumbers and cut the outsides of them into water, for the insides will be too pappy, then boyle them in that water with Dill seeds and Fennel seeds, and when it is cold put to it some salt and as much vinegar as will make it a strong pickle, then take them out of that water and salt and pour that over them in your vessel, then let them stand close covered for a fortnight or three weeks, then pour the liquor from them and new boyle it, putting in some whole pepper, cloves and mace, and when it is cold adde to it some vinegar, and a little salt, then pour it on them again, and let them stand a month longer, then boyle it again, and when it is cold put some more vinegar, and pour it on them again, then let them stand a longer time, and as you see occasion boyle it over again, and alwaies put your seeds and pieces of Cucumber on the top; be sure your pickle be cold when you pour it over.