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In a bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and celery seed. Whisk well and set aside
Peel each cucumber, trim the ends, and cut lengthwise into four long pieces. Cut out and discard the seeds from each section, leaving as much of the pulp intact as possible. Slice the sections into half-inch nuggets.
Peel, then carefully slice the onion. The idea is to slice as thinly as possible into quarter rounds. I like to cut the onion in half, place it cut side down, slice each half thinly, and then do a single top-to-bottom cut to make quarter rounds.
Either layer the cucumber and onion pieces in the jar or stir them together in a bowl and fill the jar. Give the reserved brine another few whacks with the whisk and them pour it over the cucumbers and onions in the jar. Cover tightly, place in the fridge, and give it at least an hour to marinate.
The pickles stay crisp for several days and are usually gone within the week. There are those who say it's OK simply to add additional cucumbers to the brine, but I always start again from scratch.
There is lots of room for variation. Mustard seeds work, as does additional onion, but the vinegar-to-sugar ratio should remain roughly as suggested in the recipe.
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