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.
Wipe rim with a hot, damp towel, place lid on, and screw on ring. PROCESSING PICKLES: Place jars in canning rack and lower into pot, with 5 hot water. Add hot water to cover jars by 2. Cover pot, bring water to a boil, then begin processing according to recipe. (Add 5 minutes for every 1,000-3,000-foot increment above sea level, up to 8,000 feet.)