Sometimes I can be so danged silly. I mean just silly.

Here I was with all of this amazing produce that my grandmother gave me. From her garden. She's such an incredible woman who, at eighty years old, still grows tomatoes and beans and corn (to name a few) in her little patch of garden in New Jersey.

She only gave me a little bit, but it was too much for me to eat all by myself. I thought I could pickle some of it. I've always been interested in canning and pickling. I have fantasies of having my own little patch of garden and putting up veggies and preserves to last me all winter.

So I set out to do some research on the internet on pickling. I went to several websites and got a lot of different information. So much that it just set my head a-swimming. I was about to throw in the towel when I realized just how dense I was being. I had a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips.

So I called my Baba.

She told me over the phone everything I needed to know and I set out a-pickling. I had a bunch of beans that I put up with garlic, dill and red chili flakes. I also picked up some fennel and put that in with some fennel seeds, garlic and shallots. I am so proud! And I feel as though I am carrying on a little bit of something that my grandmother taught me. I hope you're proud Baba.