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Easy & Elegant Herbed Vinegars

Create Edible Gifts in Recycled, Decorated Bottles

Jun 6, 2008

decorate your corks, vfcchat@comcast.net

Fill sterilized wine bottles with fresh herbs, spices and fruit in a variety of vinegars. Then learn how to decorate the corks and bottles for that perfect gift.

Finding gifts for the special people in your life can be challenging. Your boss is turning forty, your mother-in-law is hosting a large dinner party or your new neighbors have just moved in next door. Whatever the reason or season, you can give a handmade gift of beauty and substance.

This idea brings recycling to a new place of distinction and creativity. The following simple instructions and recipes can turn something ordinary into something memorable.

Basic Rules for Making Herbed Vinegar

Sterilize bottles by pouring boiling water into them; let sit for 15 minutes and dry thoroughly with a blow dryer. This eliminates spots in bottles and keeps the vinegar from appearing cloudy.
Wash and gently pat-dry fresh herbs.
Put herbs, spices or fruits in bottle (one handful fresh herbs, unchopped, and 2 tblsp spices).
Pour vinegar over contents till bottle is full.
Put cork or non-metallic lid on bottle.
Check after 2 weeks. If desired flavor and aroma have been reached, strain to remove old herbs through a cheesecloth and funnel.
Place new herbs (several sprigs will do) into bottle for decoration.
Seal and label bottle with contents and date.
Store in dark, cool place. Best flavor is usually reached at 2-4 weeks.

Vinegars to Stock in Your Pantry

red wine
white wine
rice wine
champagne
cider
balsamic

Fresh or Frozen Fruits to Pair with Vinegar

pears
raspberries
figs
Key limes
lemons
mangos
blackberries
lemons
cranberries

Simple Raspberry Vinegar Recipe

16 ounces white wine vinegar
1 cup fresh (or frozen) raspberries

Rinse and dry berries, pour into bottle. Add vinegar. Leave there for 2 weeks, till ripened.

Use in Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (for both green and fruit salads)

1/2 cup of your raspberry vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 teasp sugar
1 tblsp fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Once opened your vinegar stays at its most flavorful for 2-3 months. Unopened, it can keep indefinitely.

Herb-Infused Vinegar

Ty any of these combinations in the vinegar of your choice. Experimentation is what this is all about. If no particular vinegar is recommended, try pairing herbs with two different vinegars to see which one you like. Here are a few tried and true variations:

cinnamon, clove and nutmeg
cinnamon, basil and nutmeg
dill (w/white vinegar)
basil and whole cloves
lemon basil and peppercorns (w/white vinegar)
garlic, sage and basil (w/red cider vinegar)
cinnamon, basil and whole cloves
mango and chili (w/red cider)
sage and whole cloves
lavendar blossoms (w/cider vinegar)
basil, thyme, oregano
sage, thyme, basil, and a sprig of rosemary

How to Use your Vinegars

Use the fruit-infused vinegars on fruit salads and green salads, in marinades and desserts. The herb-infused vinegars can be used in dressings with olive oil, in marinades, sauces, in slow cookers over meat, as glazes in pans.

Decorate the Cork

Sterilize your used corks or buy them in bulk at your local craft store. Decorate them with rhinestone jewelry, broken pins, earrings, brooches from the local thrift store, or find colorful sea glass and shells to hot glue onto the corks.

Decorate the Bottle

Recycled wine bottles are perfect for this project but you can also buy one-of-a-kind bottles. At one store you can usually find a set of three bottles for under $10 that come with their own corks.

Another decorative accent for the herbed vinegar bottles is easy to find. Napkin rings are sold in carved wood, metal spirals, mother of pearl, woven grass and antique scrolls to name a few. One or two napkin rings can be placed around the neck of the bottle for an accent or as an additional go-along-with gift. Label and date each bottle's contents with stamps or free-hand writing on a sticky label or handmade tag.

Enjoy the process and give a gift of substance and beauty. If you have an idea that would complement this gift, feel free to share in the comments box.

The copyright of the article Easy & Elegant Herbed Vinegars in Green/Simple Living is owned by Vicki F. Chavis. Permission to republish Easy & Elegant Herbed Vinegars in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.