Danish White Cucumber Pickles

Description
This is my mother's recipe with a few adaptations by me. They are wonderful crisp white, sweet pickles that go well with anything (except maybe ice cream). You nearly always see this pickle on Danish open faced Liver pate sandwiches.



Ingredients

 * 7 	large cucumbers	(Cukes must be very large but not soft or yellow)
 * 8 	cups sugar
 * 8 1/2 	cups pickling vinegar
 * 1 	cup water

Divide, into each of the 8 jars before packing

 * 8 	hot pepper, 1 each	(optional)
 * 8 	teaspoons mustard seeds, 1 tsp each
 * 8 	small bay leaves, 1 each
 * 4 	teaspoons dill seeds, 1/2 tsp each
 * 80 	whole white peppercorns, 10 each

Directions
Sterilize 8 Pint jars. Make syrup by, putting the sugar, Vinegar and water in a large pot, stirring until the sugar disolves, and bring to a boil, when you fill jars have it at a full boil. Peel the cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut cucumbers into1/2 " spears that are about 3/4 " shorter than the pint jar, thus allowing some headroom. As you are cutting up the cukes put the prepared ones in ice-water until you put them into the jars Pack jars tightly with the spears standing upright( spears go on top of the spices already in the jar). Fill jars with boiling vinegar/syrup and seal.