You will need:

• 2 carrots sliced in the round
• 2 onions sliced in rings
• 1 jalapeno pepper sliced in rounds
• 2 garlic cloves – sliced
• Salt, ground black pepper and 1 bay leaf
• White vinegar (45-grain strength,i.e. 4.5 – 5% acidity)

Place the sliced carrots on the bottom of a saucepan; next place the sliced onions, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf on top. Add enough of the vinegar to just cover. Bring to a boil the reduce the heat, simmering over low heat until the vegetables are cooked (but not mushy – you want them to be a little crisp). Store in a glass container with a screw on lid. Refrigerate.

In addition to an appetizer, it is good mixed with boiled shrimp or sandwich relish.

Note – cut the jalapeno pepper with caution; do not rub your eyes until you have washed your hands thoroughly; and remember if you want the relish a little less hot – remove the seeds.

Pear tree update – they seem to be doing fine and are starting to put out little leaf buds. When the rain stops we’ll need to put up a wire fence around them to keep the deer from eating all the new growth off.