First, get the freshest produce that can be had. Wash, remove flowers (on cucumbers) and pack tightly into a jar. If you can get wide mouth canning jars and lids, it helps. Add pickling spice, and 1-2 garlic cloves to the quart. Boil up a solution of kosher salt at 1 cup to gallon (or 1/4 cup per quart) and pour, filling jar to rim. Cap tightly, cool and refrigerate. the cooled jar should have vacuum sealed. Consume in two days to a week. When you get the hang of this, you can mix your own spices, and graduate to other vegetables and to non-refrigerated cured pickles. Bteavon.