Pickled Asparagus

Ingredients

• 5 lb Asparagus
• 3 garlic cloves
• 6 tsp dill seeds
• 6 tsp mustard seeds
• 36 black peppercorns
• 8 cups water
• 2 ½ cups white vinegar
• 3 tsp pickling salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar

Directions

Rinse and trim Asparagus to fit pint sized mason jars. Soak in ice water. Add the following to each of 6 hot, sterilized mason jars: | clove garlic, 1 tsp dill seeds, I tsp mustard seeds and 6 peppercorns. Meanwhile bring the water> vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Place the Asparagus stalks in the hot jars. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the Asparagus, covering the stalks and tips, filling' jars to J inch from top. Clean jar rims. Seal and process 5 to 6 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 6 pints.

*Use the trimmed ends to make Cream of Asparagus Soup!*