Southern Supper Tablescape on the Back Porch with Recipes for Sweet Pickles and Natural Mosquito Repellent

Oh honey child, nothing says summer like supper on the porch. Forget the mosquitos which are really bad this year, just bring the citronella plants closer and mix up a batch of natural repellent. We sometimes roast garlic on the grill and those little critters can't stand the aroma as their sense of smell is about 10,000 times greater than ours. I love garlic and mix it with rosemary and lemon juice and roast chickens for some delicious suppers. This is a summer supper at my friend and floral designer Kent Freeman's home. Don't you just love the gorgeous flowers. It makes you feel so special to sit down for supper at a beautiful table with fresh flowers. Kent has a grand sense of style and his tablescapes are always regal, whether casual or elegant.

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Ya’ll listen up . . . cucumbers are ready and that means it’s time to make sweet pickles. If you’ve ever had homemade sweet pickles, you know there’s nothing like them for sale at the supermarket. Relax, they are so easy to make and not only are they delicious, they make lovely gifts at Christmas. I have some friends who are native New Yorkers and they send a note every Thanksgiving to say hello, but really it’s to remind me to send my mother’s pickles for the holidays.
It all started when a lady asked my mother, Josephine Murphy, if she made pickles as she wanted to give her lots of cucumbers from her garden. My mother, who is a wonderful cook, assured her that she didn’t know how nor did she have the time to fool with it. About an hour later the lady, Betty Pope, returned with a recipe on a card and a bag full of cucumbers. That was about 25 years ago and my mother tweaked it a bit. These pickles are delicious chilled and served with picnic cold fried chicken, chopped up in chicken or tuna salad, delicious with cheese and crackers and the juice is an elixir you can use to spike pimento cheese or deviled eggs.
Use the traditional cucumbers, NOT burpless or the fancy hybrids. For this recipe do not use the less expensive supermarket chain pickling spice – you’ll be sorry! There’s no waiting 14 days, no canning, just sweet pickles for you to enjoy – you’re gonna swear by these honey child!

Mrs. Murphy’s Pickles
2 gallons cucumbers (5-6 inches long), sliced
2 gallons ice cold water
2 cups pickling lime (available at supermarket)
Soak cucumbers 24 hours in water and lime in crockery or enamelware. Stir. Drain and discard lime water. Rinse twice. Soak in cold water 3 hours and drain.
2 quarts red vinegar
10 cups sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 bottle McCormick pickling spices tied in cheese cloth bag
Mix and pour over cucumbers and allow to stand overnight in pot on stove ready to cook the following day – do not use aluminum cooking pot. The following morning, bring to a boil and cook until cucumbers become almost translucent (about 35 – 40 minutes.) Sterilize jars and lids and pack cucumbers in jars. Fill with juice up to the neck of jar and seal. Of course you should add some cute personalized labels to your pickles.

Natural Mosquito Repellent

If you are making large amounts of mosquito repellent, a good rule of thumb is to mix the repellent so it's 5-10% essential oil, so mix 1 part essential oil with 10-20 parts carrier oil or alcohol. For a smaller batch use:
10-25 drops (total) of essential oils
2 tablespoons of a carrier oil or alcohol

The essential oils that work well against mosquitoes are:
cinnamon oil
lemon eucalyptus oil
citronella oil
Safe carrier oils and alcohols include:
olive oil
sunflower oil (any cooking oil)
witch hazel
vodka
Mix the essential oil with the carrier oil or alcohol. Rub or spray the natural insect repellent onto skin or clothing, using care to avoid the sensitive eye area. You'll need to re-apply the natural product after about an hour or after swimming or exercise. Unused natural insect repellent may be stored in a dark bottle, away from heat or sunlight.