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RepostI know I'm not the only kid who loved pickles more than candy. But the gold standard of pickles in my life will always be Granny's. In her basement were two large crocks covered with tea cloth towels, bound with rubber bands to keep out dust and creepy crawlies. One was filled with pickles, the other with kraut. I don't know if the USDA would have approved, but I lived. Hers were not the vinegar-brined kind of pickles I knew from grocery stores, but the gut-healthy, probiotic-rich, fermented pickles humans have been making for millennia. If you do it right, these pickles stay crisp from one summer to the next! I can still see her taking a plate to scrape off the scum and scooping up a dish of pickles for Sunday dinner. She never gave me her recipe for pickles, but after all these years I've come across something awfully close to Granny's pickles.Fermented Pickles with Dill and Garlic- 8 cups cold fresh non-chlorinated water- 8 tablespoons kosher salt- 4-8 cloves garlic, peeled- 4 whole cloves- 3 bay leaves (or more to taste)- 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns- 1 bunch fresh, flowering dill weed- 2 pounds very fresh Kirby cucumbers, thoroughly washed and blossom ends cut- Optional: 1 grape leaf or a couple of raspberry leaves to keep the pickles crunchyInstructions1. Prepare the Brine: Combine the water, salt, and garlic in a large saucepan. Add the cloves, bay leaves, coriander seeds, and peppercorns. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Heat over low heat for a few minutes until the water is at room temperature. The water should not be warm.2. Prepare the Container: Select a jar or crock large enough to hold the cucumbers, spices, and some brine. Place some dill flowers at the bottom and top with a few cucumbers. Alternate layers of dill and cucumbers, ending with a layer of dill.3. Add the Brine: Pour the brine into the crock, ensuring the cucumbers are fully submerged. Gently tap or shake the crock to eliminate any air bubbles. Place a small ramekin or a weight on top of the pickles to keep them submerged below the brining liquid. Top with more brine if necessary and cover the crock. Reserve any extra brine for use during the fermentation process.4. Fermentation: Place the crock in a location where it can ferment at a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees F. Let the pickles ferment for a week, checking daily to ensure they remain submerged. Add more brine if necessary. Small bubbles may appear; this is a normal part of the fermentation process.5. Finishing: After about eight days, skim off any foam that has formed. Test a pickle for flavor and crunch. If they need more time, continue fermenting for a couple more days. Once they reach your desired taste, transfer the pickles to a large jar and fill it with the brine from the fermentation process. Cover and store the finished pickles in the refrigerator to slow fermentation (unless you REALLY love super sour pickles; granny did and fermented them until the crock was empty.)Hope anyone who tries them likes them. This also works well with quartered or whole green tomatoes (remember to cut off the blossom end.) I sometimes add in dried hot peppers for spice. Please do not attempt to can these. They don't need it and you'll kill off all the good bacteria. The brine is a delicious addition to mayonnaise based salads of all kinds.