...if you have a backyard and a kitchen, this blog might be for you!

a chronicle of tips and recipes on everything from gardening to canning and baking your produce, even if you're planted in suburbia...in fact, especially if you are planted in suburbia.



Saturday, June 25, 2011

Flavored Vinegars


Black raspberries are ripe at the berry farm, prompting me to write a post about making raspberry vinegar. This recipe is an easy one that I adapted from one in a book called The Country Store. Even if you're not really gardening, this is an easy recipe to make with a simple visit to the farmer's market.

To make this raspberry vinegar (or blueberry for that matter) you need about 5 minutes to "gently" heat 2 1/2 cups of red wine vinegar with 1 tbsp. of pickling spice. Put the heated mixture in a bowl and add fresh herbs of your choice. I used lemon balm, thyme, and sweet basil simply because that's what is plentiful in the garden right now.




After mixing these, gently fold in 1 lb. of raspberries.





Cover the bowl and put it in a cool, dark place to infuse for a couple of days, taking it out to stir occasionally.






Finally, remove the fruit and herbs, strain the liquid and store it in a clean dry bottle.



Bonus recipe: while you're making vinegars, and if you're growing rosemary or can get some fresh at the market, you can make a rosemary vinegar the same way using 2 1/2 cps of white wine vinegar and 6 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary. Bring the vinegar to a boil, then pour over the rosemary in a bowl. Again, cover and infuse for 3 days in a dark place, then strain, and bottle. If you like, store it in a clear bottle and add a sprig of rosemary, then tie some raffia around the bottle and you have either decorative addition to your own kitchen or a useful and pretty homemade gift to offer a friend.



Happy infusing!










2 comments:

  1. Dearest Deb...Little ole me again...If you plant garlic in the Fall ...then why wouldnt they sell the planters in the Fall...just wondering.
    You sound like you might know this type of veggie knowledge...
    p.s. Kokomo ...? yes...unfortunately

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  2. Jane...my question exactly last fall when I wanted to do a fall broccoli planting. The guy at the nursery said not enough people bought fall vegetables for it to be profitable for them. You can plant garlic in the early spring when they offer it, but it doesn't get as big. Maybe the garlic is a better seller, though, and so they might stock it in the fall--at least at garden shops, hopefully!

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