Photo for April 19, 2006.

pickles_in_progress, originally uploaded by nazarian.

This is a snapshot of veggies being pickled. I don't know if this is a favorite passtime for women in Armenia but I know that it is widespread. They will can a wide variety of products - apricots, raspberries, cucumbers, etc.

It's a tedious process but the results are well worth it come winter.

The canning differs from what is done in the US. The Armenian version is more labor intensive. Once the jar and the lid are heated, the lid is secured by tightening the edges with a special tool.

The tool is spun around the lid. There is a ball bearing that rolls around the edge, and there is a bolt that is tightened to make the bearing tighter. As a result, the edges of the lid are pushed inwards. There is a rubber gasket that ensures a tight seal.