Ingredients

• 1 lb vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, or green beans)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 6-8 whole cloves

Directions

1. Wash and trim vegetables, cutting into small pieces or spears.
2. Combine water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, until the sugar and salt dissolve.
4. Pack vegetables into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
5. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables, covering completely. Remove air bubbles.
6. Seal and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating.

This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable canned one, keep it chilled and eat within a few weeks.

Ingredients

• 2-3 whole cloves
• 1 tea bag or 1-2 tsp loose-leaf tea
• 1-2 cups water
• Honey or sugar, optional

Directions

1. Boil the water in a small pot or kettle.
2. Lightly crush the cloves with a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon.
3. Add the crushed cloves and tea to the pot. Turn off heat and steep 3-5 minutes.
4. Strain and sweeten to taste.

Add a cinnamon stick or fresh ginger while steeping for extra depth.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp allspice berries
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Combine cider and brown sugar in a large pot.
2. Tie cloves and allspice in cheesecloth and add to the pot.
3. Add cinnamon sticks, orange, and lemon slices.
4. Simmer over low heat 20-30 minutes.
5. Remove the spice bag and fruit slices before serving warm.

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in, fully cooked ham (6-8 lbs)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham in a roasting pan, cover with foil.
2. Bake until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (use a meat thermometer in the thickest part, avoiding the bone), roughly 2 hours for this size, but go by temperature rather than time.
3. Whisk together honey, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Remove the foil, brush the glaze over the ham, and return to the oven uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until caramelized and browned.
5. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

140°F is the USDA target for reheating a fully cooked, plant-packaged ham. If your ham was repackaged outside the original plant, or it's leftover ham, heat to 165°F instead.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 3-4 ripe pears, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Roll the puff pastry into a 10x14-inch rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
3. Arrange pear slices on top, leaving a 1-inch border.
4. Whisk together sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and lemon juice. Sprinkle over the pears.
5. Fold the pastry edges over the pears and brush with egg.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden and the pears are tender.
7. Cool a few minutes before slicing.