makes 1 pint

1 cup strawberries, washed and hulled (halved if large)
½ cup Champagne vinegar
2 Tbsp. water
4 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh tarragon or thyme

Place strawberries, peppercorns, and herb sprigs in a sterilized 1-pint canning jar.

In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt; bring to a strong simmer and stir just to dissolve the sugar and salt. Let the brine cool to lukewarm (you don’t want to cook the berries with hot brine). Pour it into the jar so berries are covered or nearly so. Let pickled strawberries sit in the refrigerator for a day to develop flavors. Keep refrigerated, best used within 2 weeks.