Tarantula hawk. For the psychedelic rock band, see Tarantula Hawk (band). A tarantula hawk is a spider wasp that hunts tarantulas. Tarantula hawks belong to any of the many species in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis, in the family Pompilidae (spider wasps).
Ditch the prefab pickling spice and make your own. And try a 5 percent salt solution per pound of cucumbers (full recipe below). In addition to reverse-engineering Grandma Minnie's recipe, McClellan offers these tips for getting crisp pickles: 1. Trim the ends off the cucumbers before you pack them into jars. Depending on how well you've washed your cucumbers, there can also be an enzyme in the blossom end of a cucumber that can lead to softening, and nobody wants a soft pickle, she says. 2. Try certain leaves.
Pickling Spice Recipe. Try this pickling spice recipe in your pickles instead of buying a pre-made pickling spice. Simply substitute this home made version. The spices will be tied in a cheesecloth bag and cooked to release the flavors.