Step Into The Story

I almost didn't post up the recipe becaue I don't like pickles and chutneys. Then I thought this is like licorice - just because I don't like piccalilli doesn't mean that there aren't hundreds of people who do. So here is the recipe for those who do. The origins of this familiar mustard-coloured pickle and its name are open to conjecture. Recipes date from the 18th century and because of the inclusion of spices they may have developed with Britain's expansion into India and the East. The most likely explanation is that the name is a pun on the words pickle and chilli. 1lb peeled button onions 1lb 8oz cauliflour florets 1lb 3oz chopped cucumber or courgette 1lb chopped green beans 3 red chillis cut into strips Half a teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons mild curry powder 2 tablespoons mustard powder 2 teaspoons turmeric 2 teaspoons allspice 2 tablespoons ground ginger 8oz sugar 2 tablespoons black peppercorns 3 oz plain flour 2 and a half pints of malt vinegar...