Spicy pickled garlic

When we still lived in Vancouver, we would often go to the annual Christmas craft fair, where David would typically pick up a couple jars of pickles--pickled garlic, dill pickles, etc. One Christmas I got him The Joy of Pickling so he could try his hand at pickling himself. Several years went by, as well as a failed attempt at pickling mushrooms without a boiling water bath, before we decided to finally give pickling a genuine go, trying out one of David's favourites--pickled garlic.

Recipe

from The Joy of PicklingMakes 3 half-pints2 quarts of water1-1/2 cups white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar1 tbsp sugar1-1/2 tsp pickling salt3 whole allspice berries6 whole black peppercorns12 whole coriander seeds1 Mediterranean bay leaf, torn into thirds3 small dried hot peppers, such as japonés or de arbol, slit lengthwise3 cups garlic clovesIn a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. While the water heats, bring to a boil vinegar, sugar and salt in another saucepan. Divide the spices, bay leaf, and hot peppers among 3 half-pint mason jars. When the water comes to a boil, add the garlic cloves. Boil the cloves for 1 minute. Drain the cloves and divide them among the mason jars. When the vinegar mixture comes to a boil, pour it over the garlic, leaving 1/2" headspace in each jar. Close the jars with two-piece caps and process the jars in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Store the jars in a cool, dry dark place for at least 2 weeks before eating the garlic. After opening, store it in the refrigerator.

Musings

A few notes on preparation: We used de arbol peppers and added an extra couple to a couple of the jars for extra spiciness. We also chose to use distilled white vinegar.After waiting the allotted 2 weeks, we sampled our pickling efforts. David declared them to be delicious and mellow. They weren't overpoweringly spicy, but had a definite kick to them. They tasted a little on the vinegary side--perhaps a recipe involving some combination of vinegar and white wine, water or juice might help. But still a tasty first effort! They'll make an excellent addition to sandwiches or even on their own.