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I decided to use the bounty of my pickling cucumber crop to try out my Heimburg family recipe for Irish Pickles. I grew up on these pickles – my grandmother made them in huge batches and brought them out for holidays and special occasions. See, these aren’t your everday pickle. I’ve never tasted anything that comes close to these – thanks to some delicious secret ingredients.

However, I must say, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to grow pickling cucumbers and pickle them. I only received the recipe after my cucumber plants started producing this summer. Evidently it takes 12 days to make these pickles. It’s not that much work, mostly checking in on them for the first week, some stirring, then making the syrup after that and eventually canning.

Yesterday was day 12, and I have to say that I am surprised they turned out so well. I think Nick was too because he sampled a slice before I canned them and said “It tastes like a real pickle!”. Good, that’s what I was going for. I wound up with 7 jars. Hopefully we can let some age for a couple years, but I’ll probably need to make more next summer.

Are even more exquisite than I imagined them to be. I still can’t believe I went 25 years without ever biting into one. These were selected from LA Burdick Chocolate in Harvard Sq this afternoon, and will soon be devoured, like their friends pistachio and citrus.

Come to those who bake. And anyone they know who is lucky enough to snag a few goodies.  One very lucky individual will be receiving a box of these in the mail in a couple days. Making iced (and decorated) sugar cookies is probably my favorite holiday tradition, even though I had to use Valentine’s themed cookie cutters this year because I didn’t have wintery ones on hand.

I also made these ridiculously delicious cookies – they are like thin mints, but covered in white chocolate and crushed up peppermint candies. Mmmm. They are coming with me tonight to a a friend’s Christmas party. And let me tell you, if it weren’t for this party tonight, I might not leave the house today because it’s 20 degrees out, but feels like 7. Glad we’re headed somewhere a bit warmer tomorrow morning.

I recently received a surprise package in the mail from my Mom. It included this lovely glass mug, “blooming” jasmine tea packets, and some natural sugar crystals. I took the whole lot to work last week and have been having a big mug of this stuff every day. At first, the hand tied jasmine tea kind of freaked me out since it looks like a sea urchine – but it’s SO good I got over it. Thanks Mom!

Wow – haven’t updated in awhile, been too busy with actual life I guess. So here’s some highlights from the past 10 days.

10 days ago: Nick’s parents (my favorite inlaws!) and grandmama arrived in Boston. We had a relaxed dinner at Basta Pasta, a great little hole-in-the-wall italian (if you couldn’t guess) restaurant in Cambridgeport. We caught up over salads and giant bowls of pasta, mmmm.

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