While interviewing Pepper Joe, I got to thinking about Peter Pipers Pickled Peppers. Now, as far as we know, Peter Piper, is the only person of fact of fiction, who every managed to pick his peppers ready pickled. The rest of us poor mortals must pick first and pickle later.

This is well worth the trouble, however, when on a winter’s day, we can go to the pantry shelves and select a jar of jewel-like red, green, or yellow pickled peppers to serve with meats or to garnish a meal for unexpected guests.

Late in the season, the very tender pepper bushes really begin to bear, and by September, pickling is just about the only way to take care of the crop, which must be safely indoors before the first touch of frost in certain parts of the country. However, because of their various shapes, colors and flavors, peppers offer many possibilities to the pickler. They may be preserved hot or cold, sweet or sour, and in any number of combinations.

Fay Kreb’s Pepper Relish

Back when my cooking lesson came with a lot of wisdom thanks to FayA dear long departed extended family member, who was famous for unusually fine cooking. along with being most generous in sharing her knowledge with others, gave me this intriguing recipe for pepper relish.  

Although a long time Washingtonian, Fay Krebs was originally from Louisiana, Missouri.  She tried her best to teach me to cook when I was a young bride, and while even I’d have to admit her efforts failed for the most part she did leave behind a great collection of recipes as a legacy.

Basic Ingredients:

4 yellow semi-hot peppers

12 green sweet peppers
12 red sweet peppers

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Instructions:

Remove all seeds and chop up finely
Cover with boiling water for 20 minutes
Drain

Add 12 large onions, ground
Add 1 quart of vinegar
Add 2 ½ cups sugar
Add 2 tablespoons Sea salt
Boil mixture for 20 minutes
Pack and seal in sterile jars at once

Fay Kreb’s Sour Green Pepper Pickle

 Another of Fay’s recipes can be made without cooking by simply cutting green sweet peppers in strips after removing seeds, packing them in sterile jars and covering them with a solution of one pint vinegar and one quart of cold water in which one cup of salt has been dissolved. Seal sterile jars at once.