What are rules of thumb for adding garnishes to pickles?
Looking to add a few black peppercorns and a pinch of hot pepper to pickled garlic.
I have several good canning books but I'm a little confused about guidance about when it's okay to garnish. The Joy of Cooking has a 'Sure, add a little twist of lemon rind to jelly as a decorative touch' note in the jellies section but I can't find any such guidance on pickles or condiments.
I have a good, authoritative, reliable pickled garlic recipe I've used before, but it would be prettier, and maybe better, with a few black peppercorns and a pinch of hot red pepper in each jar. I'm talking about literally 'a few' and 'a pinch' -- not substantially changing any proportions.
The recipe is 100% safe and I've used it before. Kind of hoping to find something from a home preservation authority but I have been unable to this morning and I want to make the garlic.