DIY: How to Make Herbal Vinegar

How to Make Herbal Vinegar:

You will need :

* A good quality vinegar of 5 percent or greater acidity (a good apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ is recommended for any vinegars blended for medicinal purposes).
* Fresh cut herbs.
* Clean bottles and a cork that will fit.
* Imagination.

Any size or shape bottle will do as long as you have a cork that will fit it. Sterilize the bottles before use, cool and then stuff them with herbs.

You can devise the herbal combinations according to your own cooking needs, taste, and herbs available. Then pour the vinegar over the herbs. Do not heat the vinegar.

Any vinegar may be used including:

* White or Red wine vinegar
* Cider vinegar
* White vinegar
* Rice wine vinegar

White vinegar is generally used with opal basil, bronze fennel, and chive blossoms because the vinegar will take on a pink tinge from these herbs. Cork the bottles and let stand for several weeks before using. (a good apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ is recommended for any vinegars blended for medicinal purposes)

If the herbal vinegars are intended to be used as gifts, strain off the vinegar and discard the old herbs. If desired, replace with sprigs of new herbs for decoration and re-cork. The bottles may be sealed by dipping the cork and lip of the bottle into plain or colored paraffin.

Suggested herbal combinations:

* Lemon grass/thyme/ garlic/orange peel
* Chile peppers/garlic
* Parsley/sage/ rosemary/ thyme
* Rosemary/orange peel/cloves
* Chive blossoms/salad burnet
* Raspberries/ mint/garlic

Do not limit yourself to these combinations (this is where your imagination comes in). They are only suggestions and should not limit the combinations that can be created.

Ways to Use Herbal Vinegars

For the flavorful herbal vinegars:

• Add to marinade.
• Use in salad dressing (usually one part vinegar to two parts oil and a little sweetener (maple syrup or honey), if desired.
• Drizzle over roasted vegetables.
• Drizzle over fish.
• Use to baste chicken while baking.
• Add a splash to soups and stews to add extra flavor.
• Use in stir fry.

For medicinal herbal vinegars: You can take a spoonful a day, or put about a tablespoon of the herbal vinegar in a glass of water and drink.