Burgers, buns, ketchup, and mustard. There’s something missing from this summertime picture. Pickles, we presume. And none better than Big Sur Bakery’s. The homey eatery on Highway 1 features the special (and easy) recipe in its new cookbook. We offer it to you with relish.

Big Sur Bakery Pickles

Ingredients
½ c. kosher salt
8 small to medium pickling cucumbers, washed and dried
1 qt. champagne vinegar
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 shallots, sliced
¼ c. kosher salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. fennel seeds
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
1 tbsp. hot red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves

1. Prepare cucumbers: Dissolve salt in 2 qts. hot water. Pour salted water into large glass container and submerge cukes. Put a plate on top to prevent them from floating to the surface. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Rinse.

2. Make brine: Put vinegar, garlic, shallots, salt, sugar, and 1 qt. water in a medium pot. Combine mustard and fennel seeds, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves in saute pan and toast over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the toasted spices to the vinegar mixture and bring to a boil. Then lower heat and let brine simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Place cucumbers in clean, dry glass or ceramic container and pour hot brine over them. Use a plate to keep the green guys submerged in liquid and place container in fridge uncovered. Leave until brine cools, then cover the container with a lid and keep for 1 week.

For good pickles, eat in a week. For great pickles, eat in a month.

The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook available at amazon.com or at your local bookstore. For more information, go to bigsurbakery.com.