Pickled Eggs

You know when you're depressed and uninspired how everything is dull, and you just let things go? And then, when that mood passes, it's like you woke up with a desk full of work to do. Right now, I'm in front of a big huge desk full of work to do. Which is actually a great thing because when I start not wanting to cook or eat anything it's a sign that things are really going south. Cooking up a storm of sweets? There's a problem, but it's being channeled. Not wanting to cook anything? Houston, there's a big problem, and we're not sure if the landing is going to go well. Well, so far, landing in February has been a good thing. January has been long and arduous. But the days, they pass, and all the while get longer, and already there is chatter of sowing seeds, and well, how can you be in a funk when that's going on?

There was some brine left in the fridge from my turnip and radish pickles and damned if I was going to throw that gorgeous pink stuff out. I tried to make this last week, but the eggs I boiled turned to shreds when I tried to peel them. They were turned into egg salad. I was so irritated that I waited a whole week to try again. Today's batch came out perfect. I boiled them with salt and a splash of pickle juice.

This recipe is from Linda Ziedrich's The Joy of Pickling. It's incredibly easy, if you have some beet pickle juice, or something similar to it, lying around. I have yet to taste these, but just seeing them in the fridge cheers me up a little.

1 cup of beet pickling juice (beet pickle juice?)

1 cup of white vinegar

1 tsp. of pickling salt

1/2 tsp. peppercorn, crushed

1/2 tsp. allspice, crushed

1 bay leaf

12 hard boiled eggs

Bring brine to a boil. Put peeled eggs into a jar (one quart, or two pints). Pour cooled liquid over eggs, seal and refrigerate. Let sit for 6-24 hours.