I have very strong memories of my mother and grandmother making this pickle at the end of the summer. It was stored in stoneware jars and sealed with brown paper and string, then kept in the pantry until Christmas. Malt vinegar was the pickling agent and the result was quite harsh. It was always served cold with cooked meats
Some years ago we visited Nigel Haworth’s Three Fishes pub in the Ribble valley to try his signature Lancashire hot pot. It was served with pickled cabbage. It was a quick pickle recipe and served warm – quite a revelation. I use a Diana Henry recipe in Food From Plenty which is less harsh than our family recipe. We grow three or four red cabbages in our allotment garden and pickle them in two batches
