Know Your Ingredients and Tools
Your garden is finally bursting with all kinds of summer herbs and your biggest challenge is what to do with them all. One great way to capture some of the amazing flavors of fresh summer herbs is to use them to create all kinds of fragrant vinegars. These vinegars are wonderful over salads or as a nice burst of flavor to grilled meats and vegetables. Here are just a few of my favorites. They are relatively easy to make and while you are at it store up a few to give as gifts during the holiday season.
Vinegars with Fresh Summer Herbs
Tarragon Vinegar — steep sprigs of fresh tarragon in 1 cup of cider vinegar. Add to a decanter (bottle). Insert long sprigs of tarragon to the bottle and seal.
Lemon and Lime Vinegar — Steep strips of lemon and lime in white vinegar. Add to a sterilized bottle and add fresh strips of lemon peel; minus the pith. Seal.
Raspberry Vinegar — Add vinegar and pickling spices to a stainless steel pot. Heat for 5 minutes on low heat. Add raspberries to a heat resistant bowl and pour vinegar over berries. Add two to three sprigs of lemon thyme to the bowl. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Strain the liquid through cheese cloth and pour into a sterilized bottle and seal.
