Avanti Cafe Musings: Pineapple Guava & Carolina Reaper Pickles

Hot chilies & guavas ripen at about the same time. Add in the autumn bounty of Dr. Baba's Fallbrook farm & it's time to make pomegranate & oro blanco grapefruit infused Carolina Reaper & Pineapple Guava Pickles.

Not a true guava, pineapple guavas grow readily in temperate climes, have beautiful edible blossoms in the spring & are prolific producers.

Carolina Reaper is currently one of the hottest chilies. It's in the habanero family.

Juicing fresh pomegranates is neither hard nor messy. Quarter them & squeeze over a large bowl. I put the squeezed rinds in a colander to drain out more juice. Compost what's left over. You can also juice pomegranates in a blender, but I don't think you get all that much more juice, especially if they are ripe.

Amount	Measure	Ingredient	Prep Method
2	Cups	Pomegranate Juice
3	Tablespoons	Sea salt
1/3	Cup	Sucanat	Or sugar
4	Quarts	Pineapple guavas	Halved
3	Cups	Water

Cover & bring to a boil. Stir well, then add

1	Cup	Grapefruit rind	Rough chop
1	Branch	Lemon verbena leaves	Optional

Remove from heat and cool uncovered. Remove lemon verbena and add

Cups

Grapefruit juice

I used Oro Blanco

Into 7 clean pint jars, add

Whole Pierced

Carolina Reaper Chili

PER JAR

Pierce the chilis w/ the tip of a paring knife two or three times before adding to the jars. You can make some without chilies for the timid.

Divide the pickle mix with its liquid among the jars. Top each jar off w/

2-3

Tablespoons

Apple Cider Vinegar

With the mother

Fill each jar w/ enough cider vinegar to come up just to the rim. Cover and shake the jars. Leave on the counter for 3 or 4 days, shaking twice each day, then refrigerate.