7 lb. cucumbers
2 c. pickling lime (such as Mrs. Wages pickling lime, found with canning supplies in your supermarket)
2 gal. cold water
8 c. distilled white vinegar
8 c. sugar
1 tbsp. pickling salt
2 tsp. mixed pickling spices
green food coloring

Wash cucumbers and slice. Soak cucumber slices in water and lime mixture, in crockery or enamelware for 24 hours. Wash 3 times in clean water, removing all lime residue. Soak in fresh ice water for 3 hours.

Combine vinegar, sugar, pickling salt and spices. Put few drops of green food coloring in mixture. (Add small amount at a time; you would not want pickles too green.) Bring to a low boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumbers and soak 5 to 6 hours or overnight. Boil pickles in soaking vinegar for 35 minutes. Fill sterilized quart jars with cucumber slices and pour syrup over cucumbers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cap each jar with canning lid. Process 5 minutes in boiling water bath. Boiling water should cover jars by 1-inch.

Start processing when water is in a rolling boil. Remove and store in cool place.

One recipe makes 6 quarts.