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1. Scrub the cucumbers well in cold water, then trim, cut into 4½-inch lengths, and quarter each piece lengthwise.

2. Place the cucumber sticks in a large, heavy kettle; add the boiling water, cover, and let stand for 4 to 5 hours.

3. When ready to proceed, wash and rinse 6 one-pint preserving jars and their closures and submerge in a large kettle of boiling water.

4. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seeds, turmeric, and mustard seeds in a small, heavy nonreactive saucepan; bring to a boil over moderate heat then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, lift the preserving jars from the boiling water one by one and pack with the cucumber sticks, standing them on end and wedging as tightly as possible. Note: For prettier jars, Mrs. Dishman rings the most attractive cucumber sticks around the outside, then fills the center with less-than-perfect pieces.

6. Ladle the boiling vinegar mixture into each jar, covering the cucumber sticks completely but leaving ¼ inch head space at the top. Run a thin-blade spatula around the inside of the jar to release trapped air bubbles; wipe the jar rim with a clean, damp cloth, then screw on the closure.

7. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath (212° F.). Lift from the water bath; complete the seals, if necessary, by tightening the lids, then cool to room temperature.

8. Date and label each jar, then store on a cool, dark shelf several weeks before opening.

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TIME LINE: the people and events that shaped Southern Cuisine

1995

Georgia pecan growers establish the Georgia Pecan Commission to promote year-round sales.

The James Beard Foundation names Elizabeth Terry, chef-proprietor of Elizabeth on 37th Street in Savannah, Georgia, Best Chef in the Southeast.

The North Carolina Pork Producers Association begins holding its annual Championship Pork Cook-Off at the Lexington Barbecue Festival. With a population just shy of 20,000, Lexington can boast more than 20 barbecue restaurants.

1996

Krispy Kreme comes to the Big Apple, opening its first doughnut shop on West 23rd Street in the city’s trendy Chelsea district.

Lance Toastchee® crackers soar into space aboard the Columbia shuttle.

1997

Lance snack foods go global, reaching markets across the Caribbean, England, Western Europe, and China.

The James Beard Foundation names Norman Van Aken, chef-proprietor of Norman’s in Coral Gables, Florida, Best Chef in the Southeast.

The Atlanta Bread Company Bakery Café, opened only four years earlier, is so successful there are now more than 160 of them operating in 24 states.

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Variation

Potato Salad Pickles: The only difference here is that Mrs. Dishman cuts the raw cucumber sticks into ¾-inch chunks and adds ¾ teaspoon black peppercorns to the boiling vinegar mixture. It’s important that you pack the cucumber chunks into the jars as tightly as possible, otherwise they will float when the vinegar mixture is added. Process as directed above, then store in a cool, dark spot for several weeks before opening. How do you use potato salad pickles? Add them to your favorite potato salad, tasting as you go so that the amount is exactly right.

The greatest service which can be rendered by any country is to add a useful plant to its culture.

—THOMAS JEFFERSON

SWEET YELLOW SQUASH PICKLES

MAKES 6 TO 8 PINTS

A taste of these squash pickles whirls me back to my growing-up years in Raleigh, North Carolina. Knowing how I doted upon them, my mother would buy a pint or two whenever she spotted them at the farmer’s market or some local church bazaar. When I was twelve, I tried to “crack” the recipe and made a batch of squash pickles myself. They weren’t half bad, but I’ve perfected the recipe over the years. Note: For best results, use small straight-neck squash; they slice more neatly than crooknecks. Four of them weigh about a pound.

3 to 3½ pounds tender young straight-neck yellow squash, trimmed, scrubbed, and sliced ¼ inch thick (you will need 12 cups sliced squash)