Scott's Favorite Sweet Pickles

5 quarts (about 7 pounds) pickling cucumbers
1/2 cup kosher or pickling salt
8 cups sugar
6 cups white vinegar
3/4 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. whole pickling spice
8 1" pieces stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. vanilla

First day: In morning, place cucumbers in a large bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand 6 hours. in afternoon, drain and cover again with fresh boiling water; let stand overnight.

Second day: In morning, drain cucumbers and cover with fresh boiling water. Let stand 6 hours. In afternoon, drain cucumbers; add salt; cover with fresh boiling water.

Third day: In morning, drain cucumbers; prick with fork. Combine 3 cups of the sugar, 3 cups of the vinegar, and herbs and spices (except vanilla) in a pan. Heat to the boiling point and pour over the cucumbers. In afternoon, drain into a large pan; add 2 cups of the sugar and 2 cups of the vinegar. Heat to the boiling point and pour over pickles.

Fourth day: In morning, drain into a large pan; add 2 cups of the sugar and 1 cup of the vinegar. Heat to the boiling point and pour over pickles. In afternoon, prepare jars. Drain syrup off pickles into a large pan; add remaining 1 cup sugar and the vanilla; heat to boiling. Pack pickles into clean, hot jars. Cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch head space; seal.

Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 7-8 pints.