Wash peppers thoroughly. Remove core, seeds, and stems of large peppers. Cut as desired, or leave whole after coring. The small, hot peppers may be left whole with stems intact. Make two small slits in whole peppers. Mix vinegar and water; heat to 150-160F./66-71C. about to the simmering point. Since it is rather volatile, vinegar should NOT boil a long time. Pack peppers rather tightly into jars. Pour hot vinegar and water over the peppers to 1/2 inch of jar rim. If oil is desired, add vinegar to only 3/4 inch of jar top. Add olive oil to come 1/2 inch from top. The peppers will be coated with oil when they pass through the oil layer as you use them. Add salt to taste, seal, and process 15 minutes in simmering (180-185F./82-85C.) Hot Water Bath. GREENE, Janet et al. Putting Food By, 4th ed. The Stephen Greene Press Lexington, Massachusetts MM Format by John Hartman Indianapolis, Indiana Recipe by Cathy Luchettis Hot Flash Cookbook Posted to MM-Recipes Digest by "John M. Hartman" on May 30, 1998