Grow Your Own Magazine

I have always used malt vinegar for pickling shallots and red cabbage but would like a sweeter taste as I find I get a more bitter flavour with the way it all turns out.I must say the pickles don`t last long as the grandchildren love them,however I would like to try something different this year.
By the way my shallots this year are the best ever.

regards
grandad wales

Try adding sugar. I want to pickle some beetroot in sweet vinegar so I shall try this as I can't find sweet vinegar to buy.

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Mark

Vegetable Kingdom blog

Yup, just add a little sugar

Better still, for the beetroot, try making up a supermarket blackcurrant jelly with vinegar instead of water & using that for the pickle.

Mmm, that sounds good. And better still, make your own blackcurrant jelly!

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Mark

Vegetable Kingdom blog

Better still.

Redcurrant is very nice too.

I make my own pickling vinegar. The last lot I made, I used some cheap white wine vinegar and steeped it with various spices (can't remember which ones as I vary it every time, but is likely to have included pepper corns, possibly star anise and goodness only knows what else!) and a bit of sugar. Sieve the bits out and then use. I make up quite a bit but it keeps for ages in a bottle. That way, you can make it to your own preference and it's really easy.

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thanks to all for your kind and helpful replies.
I will experiment with all of your suggestions,however in the short term,just popped in to Sainsbury and invested in their spicy pickling vinegar.
will tell you of the result in about a months time.

regards
grandad wales