• Pick small cucumbers.
• Wash and cut off tips of both ends.
• Sterilize quart jars.
• Put in each jar:
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 mustang grape leaves
• 2 dried red chili peppers OR 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill seed, OR fresh dill as desired.
• Pack cucumbers very tightly into jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

• Make a brine of the following:
• *2 quarts 5% vinegar
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon alum
• 1 cup pickling salt

*IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO 90 GRAIN VINEGAR: USE 3 QUARTS WATER TO 1 QUART VINEGAR, AND USE THE ALUM AND SALT AT THE SAME AMOUNT AS ABOVE.

1. Heat brine to boiling point, making sure the salt and alum are dissolved.
2. Heat lids in boiling water to soften.
3. Pour brine to 1/2 inch from the top of the jar.
4. Wipe top of the jar with clean towel and wipe the lid dry and put on jar.
5. Tighten ring until snug.
6. Hot water bath for 20 minutes with water completely covering the jars.
7. Lift out of the water bath after 20 minutes and cool.
8. Store in cool dark place for 6 weeks and chill before eating.

All 12 of Ramona's kids and her 29 grand kids know that these are the BEST pickles in the world!