Pickled Asparagus with Lemon and Pepper

As spring progressed to summer and the asparagus season looked like it might be coming to an end,  I was running out of time to preserve asparagus.  At the same time my spring onions were prolific.  

Pickled asparagus with lemon and pepper

• 2 bunches, about 3" in diameter of freshly picked asparagus
• 4 to 6 spring onions including white part of stock,  (I grow multipliers in my garden which are perfect at the same time that the asparagus is ready to harvest) Alternately, often, young garlic with stocks are available at the market at his time of year
• 2 tablespoons of pickling salt
• 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups of white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• juice form 1 lemon
• thin lemon slices
• thinly sliced lemon peel 
• pepper corns

• 2 wide mouthed 1 pint preserving bottles, sterilized

Cut asparagus to 3/4" shorter than bottle.  Pack bottles with asparagus spears with tip down.  Include a two or 3 early spring onions including white part of stalks and 3 or 4 slices of lemon in each bottle. Add 1 teaspoon of pepper corns  and lemon peel to each bottle.In non reactive pot, bring vinegars, salt and sugar to a boil.  Add lemon juice.  Fill bottles to within 1/2 inch of top.  Screw on lid and process for 10 minutes.