Recently I jumped on the preserving train, and it seems that a lot of people have gone this route with the popularity of restaurants using preserves and displaying them in their spaces. This weeks test batch was to save some of the great asparagus that i've been eating, along with my new favourite ingredient, garlic scapes. If it works out I will quickly grab some more asparagus and do a couple more jars to save for the fall.

A standard brine is used, with various ratios of vinegar and water with the addition of spices and sometimes a bit of sugar, depending on the desired results. In this case I used 40% vinegar to 60% water with the addition of juniper berries and coriander seed. 

if you want these to last you will have to go through a proper sterilization process for your jars, or else you will need to use these within a few weeks after the waiting period. I used this resource as a guide for how to sterilize jars. You should wait at least two weeks before opening to allow proper fermentation. 

Just pack everything in and fill it with the liquid, it is quite simple actually. When the jar is properly sealed you should hear a small pop, which will indicate that it all worked and the jar is properly sealed. At least it did for me, so i'm not sure if this is normal but it seems logical, right?

This is a shot of them about 3 days from opening, and I can't wait to try them. Trying to figure out how to eat them (other than straight from the jar), any ideas?