Posh Poverty: The Secret to a Successful Life

Welcome to the Kitchen here at the Alamo. I ate in restaurants from the time I was 14 years old and earning my own money. But now, in exile, and on a limited budget, I cook. Not just because I’m poor, but because it is one way to enjoy the life of what I call “posh poverty”.

The kitchen here is not the grand vista of the penthouse atop the Temple Building in the ROC where once we entertained in lavish, wanton splendor beyond our means. Nor is it the marvelous kitchen in Maplewood with the red ceramic tile and the six-burner stove. No, here it is a modest place of comfort with insufficient counter space, a tiny refrigerator, an unrelenting clogged sink and a distinct lack of room to cook. But it is where I spend an inordinate amount of time cooking, trying new taste adventures, and enjoying some of the most gratifying times of my life, creating for myself and my few guests. These recipes are mine.

My garden is about to overflow with pickle cucumbers. This year’s weather (and the fact that I revitalized the soil with horse manure) means that I’m going to harvest a bumper crop of everything from lettuce to cucumbers, tomatoes to hot peppers and herbs.

And by the way, f you don’t have a garden … you should. Mine consists of four raised beds two 4’ x 8’ and two 4’ by 6’. One of them is devoted to strawberries and is a marvelous beginning to summer. Another is all tomatoes for canning on the fall. One is herbs, onions and peppers. And one is lettuce, carrots, radishes, kale and cucumbers that climb up a four foot trellis.

It’s an amazing amount of fresh food!

But I’m in a pickle! What to do with the crisp fresh cucumbers that are popping like popcorn at a campfire. It’s too early to haul out the jars and canner. But I’m anxious about eating all of these.

What to do?

Something I had never heard of … refrigerator pickles.

Apparently, with a little care, you can whip up a jar or two and stuff them into the fridge without all the fuss of a day long canning marathon.

Here’s the recipe I’m using. It’s enough to do 2 quarts.

A bunch of pickling cucumbers, each about 4 inches in length. I’m doing one jar sliced and one whole
1 cup Spanish Onion
Half a dozen sprigs fresh dill weed
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cup water
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tablespoon pickling salt, (I think you can use Kosher salt as well)
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds
Pinch or two crushed red pepper flakes

I’ve left in the fridge for 24 hours and taste tested. It’s very crisp … but not quite as “pickled” as I want it to be. Let’s see what another night will do!

Navigating the North Coast:

Navigating the North Coast:

Posh Poverty Recipes

Navigating the North Coast:

Posh Poverty: The Secret to a Successful Life

I'm in a Bit of a Pickle!