This is a fairly easy recipe that makes perfectly wonderful hot garlic dill pickles.

For each jar: 1 clove garlic (adjust to taste) 2 heads fresh dill (adjust to taste) 1 hot red pepper (adjust to taste) 1 grape leaf

The brine: 3 qts. water 1 qt. cider vinegar

Wash the cucumbers and let stand in cold water overnight. Combine the salt, water and vinegar and bring to a boil.

Pack the cucumbers in hot, sterilized jars. Add the alum, garlic, dill, red pepper and grape leaf to each jar and fill with brine. Seal each jar immediately after filling with boiling brine and set aside to cool. Refrigerate any jars that don't seal properly. The pickles are ready to eat after two weeks.

If you have brine and cucumbers left over, you can slice the cucumbers in coins or spears and cover them with the brine. Add garlic, dill and hot pepper to taste. Store in the refrigerator. I don't know how long they can be stored this way because they are eaten too quickly at our house.