French Pickled Cornichons

Wash cornichons, rubbing briskly a few at a time to remove the furry edges. Put in a large colander and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let sit overnight in the sink or over a bowl to collect the liquid.

Drain and dry the cornichons with a clean dry towel (Rubbing is preferable to rinsing as some salt remains).

Place cornichons in any sized clean jars with tight-sealing lids. Place herbs around the pickles, adding slivers of peeled garlic cloves, several peppercorns, and a hot pepper, if desired, per jar.

Fill the jars to the top with cold vinegar straight from the bottle. Lay a lemon slice on top and close the lid tightly. Shake once or twice and put on the back of a shelf or in the corner of a counter for a week or so.

Taste the pickles as often as you like. They change in crunch and piquancy as they absorb the brine. They will be done in about a month or two.