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.