Flavored Vinegar

In a similar vein to extracts, flavored vinegars are super easy.  Pour hot to boiling vinegar, white or cider is best, over some herbs or other flavoring agents into clean jars or bottles and seal.  Wait at least a week.  My favorites so far have been garlic dill, blood orange, oregano, and basil.  Oh the basil is so good on a summer salad!  Or just on tomatoes and cucumbers.  My latest is chive blossom, which is the most beautiful jewel toned pink purple color ever.  I even did a Scarborough Faire one last summer, you know parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  Best chicken marinade ever.  As my friend Marta mentioned on facebook these vinegars are also good sprinkled on potatoes, drizzled on salad, pasta, used as a base for dressing, or homemade mayonnaise, any number of things.  Also good for cleaning, as white vinegar is a great cleaner, and things like thyme, or rosemary are antibacterial.  Later in the summer I will post a picture tutorial on how I do these, as well as the finished results.  Make room on the shelf with the extracts :)

Extracts!

Okay, so I haven't exactly tried this yet... And I promise to post more when I actually do, but I'm suddenly in love with the idea of making various extracts. Gonna try vanilla and lemon first, and then really the sky's the limit... At least if you can find a use for them (not sure how useful borage extract would be - hmmm unless you make your own cough drops...)

Anyway, using this recipe as a baseline

http://www.averiecooks.com/2012/11/homemade-vanilla-extract.html

I'm gonna get some alcohol and jars and see what happens!