pickled asparagus

Asparagus pickles waiting for the brine.

Lisa and I were up early for our annual asparagus pickling session. It’s something we enjoy doing and our family, including our grandkids, love eating them throughout the year.

Hot litre jars waiting to be filled.

Asparagus along with rhubarb are the first fruit and veggies of the year. If that wasn’t special enough they are also two of the tastiest. Asparagus grows wild along the banks of the Columbia and around the two lakes but it is increasingly hard to find.

Lisa supervising the assembly line.

Special thanks to our good friend Sophie who sells a few pounds to us each year. Sophie is a wonderful picklier. She produces hundreds of jars of pickles each year that are prized by locals and tourists alike. If you ever see her at a Farmer’s Market make sure to pick up a jar or two, you will be happy you did.

Stuffing the jars (my one and only job). The bottoms are cut off and made into soup for the freezer or grilled over the next few days.

Jars and lids are tough to come by this year. Luckily Lisa keeps a good stock of both. Our family always returns the empty jars for a refill after consuming the product. It has been many years since we have had to buy jars.

These will be a treat at Christmas and family gathering and we look forward to giving a few jars away for gifts or trade.

The finished product hot from the canner. Is anything more satisfying than hearing the lids pop?