Wash cucumbers and cover with a brine made by adding 1 pint of salt to 1 gallon of water. Let solution stand for 1 week, skim off as necessary. Next, drain well and cover with boiling water to which has been added 1 tablespoon of alum. Let stand 24 hours, then drain. After several hours or when dry, split large cucumbers into halves . Cover again with boiling water and let stand for 24 hours. Drain again for several hours or until dry.
Put cucumbers (which will now be referred to as pickles) into a stone jar (or jars) and cover with following solution:
2 pieces of ginger root
1/2 of stick Cinnamon
6 cups of sugar
5 cups of vinegar
Bring solution to boil and add to pickles. Pour off and reheat vinegar every day for one week. Add 1 cup sugar, each day, for the first 3 days. Finish rest of time without adding more sugar.
Pack pickles in jars and fill each jar with the boiling liquid on the last day and seal. Celery salt may be added, if desired.
Note: After reading through this recipe and thinking of the logistics of following it, isn't it wonderful that you can go to the grocery store and choose from a wide selection of pickles in a variety of sizes, shapes and containers. Ain't progress great?
