Almost Hands-Free Dill Pickles

• 4 Kirby cucumbers (about 1 lb, quartered lengthwise)
• 3/4  cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  dill seed
• 1  teaspoon  black peppercorns
• 1  bay leaf
• kosher salt

Place the cucumbers in a 1-quart jar or some other container with a tight-fitting lid.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, onion, garlic, sugar, dill seed, peppercorns, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¾ cup hot tap water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving. The pickles will last up to 1 week.

Yield: sixteen spears

VERDICT:  Amazingly, these really did only take five minutes to make--I had grand visions of myself casually whipping up batches of pickles for friends or potlucks.  Sadly, they mostly just taste like vinegar.  Toss.