Verdell's Apple Ring Cucumbers

Mary Ella Richards & Verdell Haws

25th Silver Wedding Anniversary

December 8, 1980

Mary and Verdell were just beginning to date in Plainview, Texas, when I first met this handsome, sweet, and generous man. My grandparents lived in Lockney at the time, not far from Plainview where Mary attended business school. I travelled to the Texas panhandle towns often with daddy and my step-mom, Mildred, to vist my grandparents, Bob and Willie Homsley Richards. Thus, we had several occasions to get to know Verdell, as he and Mary "courted" and fell in love.

I will tell you their story on my blog, Genealogy Traces; but here I want to share with you a recipe that Uncle Verdell sent me during his later years, in July of 2002.

He sent me the following email with his recipe for Apple Ring Cucumbers.

July 13, 2002

Dear Judy: I have been intending to send you this recipe, and I started a batch of them Friday, and reminded myself to send it to you. I think you will like them.

Use large cucumbers:

Peel and quarter length ways one gallon of cucumbers. Cut seeds out, or use a spoon to scrape them out. Cut into 1/2" chunks. Mix 1/2 cup of lime with 4 1/4 quarts of water, pour over cucumbers; let stand in lime mix 24 hours.

Drain and wash good. Soak in clear water 3 hours. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 small bottle of red food coloring; 1 teaspoon alum; and enough water to cover cucumbers. Simmer 2 hours. Drain off liquid.

While simmering make syrup of 2 cups vinegar, 9 cups of sugar, 3 cups water; 8 sticks of cinnamon; 1 package of red hots. Boil to form syrup (doesn't get thick) and pour over cucumbers. Let stand 24 hours. Drain syrup and reboil and pour over cucumbers. Repeat this process three more days. 

Put cucumbers in jars, cover with hot syrup and seal.

MMM good ~

Verdell

I haven't tried them yet, but keep his note with my other cherished family recipes. When I make them, I will certainly photograph the process and share it with you here.