hi all, someone has asked me if I can try to find them some pickling herbs, they want to pickle beetroots or something of the kind, and can't find them any more, I am not a pickler so have no idea what I am looking for in english never mind german anybody do any sort of pickling that can help ?

I can't help you with the german words, but I do pickle beets.

I haven't seen a general pickling blend here, but you can make your own.

For beets, I like to use equal parts cider vinegar and water (about 1 cup), 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp table sugar, heated to a simmer.

To that I add: a few slices of fresh ginger root,

3 whole cloves and one bay leaf (available at Coop and Migros in the spice section),

1/2 tsp each coriander seeds, anise seeds, and mustard seeds (all at my local reformhaus, but you can really leave them all out)

Let the spices simmer for 5-10 minutes depending on how deep a flavor you desire, then strain hot brine over peeled and sliced beets. Allow beets to pickle for as long as desired (I like overnight- 1 week). Will keep for at least one week, I always finish them before then.

For great pickling recipes of all kinds, I really like this blog:

http://www.putsup.com/

thanks amywarren, i think it is the seed type things she is looking for, she use to buy in her local deli, a jar of things to add when pickling, but they don't do them any more, they gone modern the girl told her ha

Penzey's is the spice company in the U.S. that I used to frequent. They have a terrific pickling blend of seeds and herbs.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...lingspice.html

Shipping would be expensive, but perhaps someone going back and forth would bring her some. Alternatively, she could source as much as she could individually and mix her own. With Picking Spice, it would still be good even with a bit of a mash-up of ingredients.

Good Luck!

Also, they do international shipping. But I've seen almost all of those ingredients around Zürich.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...national3.html