Basic Pickling Spice Blend
2 TBS coriander seed
2 TBS black peppercorns
2 TBS mustard seed
1 TBS allspice berries
1 TBS ground mace
1 TBS whole cloves
1 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
2 bay leaves, crumbled
Mix all ingredients until well-blended and store in an airtight container in a cool dark place.
Note: Ground spices tend to make brines a little cloudy. If this bothers you, only use the whole spices in the recipes. In the case of the ground ginger, use a small piece of ginger root in your recipe instead.