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Cucumbers seem to be the obvious choice for a first timer.

I got some homemade (cucumber) pickles in the fridge now. They are so good to snack on.

Carrots are also very delicious and retain a nice crunch. You can use thyme or rosemary as the herb and rice vinegar.

I pickled turnips for the first time this week - bright pink just like in a Lebanese restaurant, yum! It's quite easy, with only a few ingredients.

Pickled okra is extremely good, even for people who normally hate okra:
* 1 pound fresh okra
* 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
* 2 c. white vinegar
* 1/4 cup water
* 4 tablespoons pickling salt
* 1/2 tablespoon celery seed
* 1-3 jalapenos / peppers (optional)

1. Boil jars, rings, and lids to sterilize.
2. Pack okra in jars, alternating facing up and down until jars are full. Mix remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over okra and seal. Let stand 1-2 weeks before serving. Chilled before serving for added crispness.

I'm also a fan of these delicious pickled onions, they go good on everything (sandwiches, salads, etc.):
* 2 cups apple cider vinegar
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 2 medium red onions, about 1 1/4 pound

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat.
2. While the brine heats, prepare the onions. Peel and trim them, and cut them in half from root to stem end. Then slice each half as thinly as you can into half-moons. Ideally, no slice should be thicker than 1/4 inch.
3. When you've finished slicing the onions, check the brine. If it isn't boiling, increase the heat to high. When the brine boils, add the onion slices all at once, and stir to combine. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for about 25 minutes.
4 Transfer the onions and brine to a large bowl, and set aside to cool at room temperature. (Or, if you're in a hurry, put the bowl in the refrigerator.) When the onions are fully cooled, pour them and their brine into jars with tight-fitting lids, and store in the refrigerator. Unlike other types, these quick pickles are ready to be eaten as soon as they are fully cold.
5. These pickles will keep, chilled, for up to 2 weeks.

I have wasabi pickled green beans and they're delicious. When the jar was half gone, I blanched a handful of fresh green beans, sliced off one end, and added them to the jar. After a few weeks, they absorbed the flavor and are delicious too! Plus a lot quicker than pickling from scratch... which I don't have the patience for.

brad bane,

those are two of my favorite pickles.

Another onion pickle I have to recommend are pickled pearl onions. I like to use them in martinis, dirty, with gin, dry vermouth and the pickling juice. I like to pickle them similar to the recipe above but would replace the herbs with fresh thyme and pickling spices.

I could sit down and eat a whole jar of bread and butter pickles. Of course, I'd probably get sick, but it's worth it!

this is great! my first pickling attempt was dismal, but after reading The Martha's overview, I'm inspired to try again.

Pickles aside, I really love that jar. And I'm also totally craving pickles now.

I'm hoping on my trip to Israel to pick some olives so I can cure them here in Munich.