Flavored Vinegars I am a recipe junkie and recently purchased the 6 wk makeover plan -- still waiting for it to arrive. I have been scouring the provida forums for recipes/tips. Found many people indicating use for flavored vinegars but commenting on the expense. Here are some homemade versions for flavored vinegars I've come across -- didn't know if you'd find them helpful or not :) -buny Basil Garlic Vinegar Recipe By: Ketchum Recipes 1/2 cup coarse chopped fresh basil leaves 2 cloves peeled split garlic distilled white vinegar Place basil and garlic in a sterilized pint jar. Heat Heinz Wine or Distilled White Vinegar to just below the boiling point. Fill jar with vinegar and cap tightly. Allow to stand 3 to 4 weeks. Strain vinegar, discarding basil and garlic. Pour vinegar into a clean, sterilized jar, adding fresh basil for garnish, if desired. Seal tightly. Use in dressings, for rice, pasta, antipasto salads or in flavored mayonnaise. ================ Blackberry Vinegar Recipe By: www.justrecipes.com 1/2 cup blackberries 1 cup white vinegar Soak the blackberries in the vinegar for 3 hours, then pass the mixture through a food mill. Discard the seeds. ================ Cajun Vinegar Recipe By: www.justrecipes.com 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarse crushed 4 jalapeno peppers, quartered 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed 1 wine bottle and cork In a medium-sized enameled (non-metallic) pan, bring vinegar, peppercorns, jalapeno peppers, and garlic just to a boil. Pour into a crock or jar and let steep for 6 days. Strain through a cheesecloth and discard flavorings. Pour strained vinegar into a clean, dry wine bottle and cork. Store in a cool, dark place. ================ Chive Blossom Vinegar Recipe By: www.justrecipes.com (Jane Stewart) 2 cups white vinegar 2 cups fresh packed chive blossoms Bring vinegar just to boil, but do not boil. Pour over chive blossoms. Let stand in rock or large glass bowl or bottle in cool, dark place one week. Strain vinegar, discard blossoms. Transfer to bottles and add sprig of fresh chive blossom to each bottle. ================ Fruit Vinegars Recipe By: Serving Size: 1 Preparation Time: 0:00 Categories: Oils & Vinegars Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 2 cups frozen berries (no sugar added) 3 tablespoons sugar (splenda?) 4 cups vinegar (white, cider or rice) Put fruit into 6 cup GLASS jar. Sprinkle with sugar then pour on vinegar. Cover with lid and let stand for 2 weeks. Strain through double-thickness cheesecloth. Discard fruit. Pour vinegar through funnel into clean bottles and seal. ================ Gourmet Vinegar Recipe By: www.justrecipes.com 3 cups red wine vinegar 3 whole cloves 1 bay leaf, crumbled 1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill fresh ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice Pour all ingredients in a 1 quart non-metal container; cover tightly. Let stand 4 to 6 weeks in a cool, dark place; strain into a bottle of your choice. ================ Herb Vinegars To make an herb vinegar, put rinsed and dried herbs and any spices into a sterilized 750-ml wine bottle and add about 3 cups vinegar, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Stop with a new cork and set aside for 2 to 3 weeks to steep. The vinegar has a shelf life of at least 1 year. With red wine vinegar, use: 4 sprigs fresh curly-leaf parsley and 2 Tbsp black peppercorns or 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley and 2 sprigs fresh basil With white wine vinegar, use: 4 sprigs fresh tarragon or 4 sprigs fresh rosemary With rice wine vinegar, use: 4 sprigs fresh cilantro and 2 Tbsp dried star anise ================ Jalapeno Garlic Vinegar Recipe By: www.justrecipes.com 2 jalapeno peppers, slit 2 cloves garlic, split and peeled 1 pint wine or apple cider vinegar 1 pint jar, sterilized Cut a few small slits in 2 jalapeno peppers, and place in a sterilized pint jar with 2 cloves split peeled garlic. Heat wine or apple cider vinegar to just below the boiling point. Fill jar with vinegar and cap tightly. Allow to stand 3 to 4 weeks. Strain vinegar, discarding peppers and garlic. Pour vinegar into a clean sterilized jar. Seal tightly. Use in dressing for taco, tomato and onion or avocado salads, or when making salsa. ================ Lemon Dill Vinegar Recipe By: Norma Wrenn 1 lemon, peel cut in a thin spiral 4 to 5 dill sprigs distilled white vinegar Remove peel (colored portion only) from 1 lemon in a thin spiral, and place in a sterilized jar with 4 to 5 dill sprigs or heads. Heat distilled white vinegar to just below the boiling point. Fill the jar with vinegar, and cap tightly. Allow to stand 3 to 4 weeks. Strain vinegar, discarding peel and dill. Pour vinegar into a clean sterilized jar, adding a new sprig or head of fresh dill if desired. Seal tightly. Use in marinades for fish or dressings for seafood or tossed salads. ================ Lemon Garlic Mint Vinegar Recipe By: The Well Stocked Pantry 4 sprigs fresh mint 3 large clove garlic 1 1 1/4 inch wide spiral lemon rind 1 quart white wine vinegar Place all three solid ingredients into a sterilized bottle. Add vinegar to completely cover the rest of the ingredients. CAp bottle, label and let stand in a warm, bright area for about 10 days (but not in direct sunlight), before using. The vinegar will keep for about 2-3 months stored in a cool, dark place. Makes 1 quart. ================ Mixed Herb Vinegar 1 pint red wine vinegar 1 pint cider vinegar 2 peeled halved garlic cloves 1 branch tarragon 1 sprig thyme 2 sprigs fresh oregano 1 small stalk sweet basil 6 whole black peppercorns Pour red wine and cider vinegar into a quart jar. Add garlic, herbs, peppercorns and cover. Let stand in a cool place, out of the sun, for three weeks. Shake occasionally. Pour into bottles and stop with cork. ================ Oriental Vinegar Recipe By: Serving Size: 1 Preparation Time: 0:00 Categories: Oils & Vinegars Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 2 cups rice wine vinegar 6 whole black peppercorns 1 piece fresh peeled gingerroot 1 1/2"x3/8" 1 1 inch strip lemon zest 1 stalk lemon grass (14-15 inches) Combine the vinegar, peppercorns, ginger, and lemon zest in a clean and dry 16-oz bottle. Trim the bottom of the lemon grass, remove the outer leaf, and cut it in half crosswise. Add the lemon grass to the bottle. Seal with a cork and steep for 1 week. The vinegar should be ready to use immediately after steeping, with a shelf life of at least 1 year. YIELD: 2 cups ================ Perfect Herbed Vinegar Recipe By: The Well Stocked Pantry 2 sprigs fresh sage, thyme, rosemary or other pungent herb 2 long spirals lemon rind 4 teaspoons white peppercorns 1 quart white wine vinegar Place herbs of choice, lemon and peppercorns into sterilized bottle. Add white wine vinegar. (You can divide the recipe into 2 bottles of 2 cups each, halving the ingredients between each bottle). Place in a sunny window for 2 weeks; after 2 weeks, the vinegar is ready to use. You may choose to filter the mixture for long term use or for eye-appealing gifts. Pour mixture through several coffee filter papers, discarding the herbs, peppercorns and lemon spiral. Rebottle, adding a new sprig or two of the herb of your choice, but omitting the peppercorns, which can darken the mixture over time. Label and store in cool dark place for up to 6 months. Makes 1 quart. ================ Provencal Vinegar Recipe By: The Well Stocked Pantry 1 small sprig fresh thyme 1 small sprig fresh rosemary 1 small bay leaf 1 large clove garlic, peeled 1 strip lemon rind 2 cups white wine vinegar Combine herbs (thoroughly washed and dried prior to use), garlic and lemon zest in a sterilized bottle. Pour int he vinegar to completely cover the lemon herbs and zest. Seal, label and store in a cool, dark place for about 1 month before using. This vinegar will keep for about 2-3 months stored in a cool, dark place. Makes 2 cups. ================ Raspberry Vinegar 6 cups white wine vinegar 1 pint red raspberries In a medium, nonreactive saucepan over low heat, warm the vinegar just until it begins to give off steam (do not bring to a boil). Put 1 pint of the raspberries into a fine sieve fitted over a sterilized 1/2-gallon clamp jar. Pour the warm vinegar over the berries and let it run into the jar, then add the berries to the jar. Allow the mixture to cool 20 to 30 minutes to room temperature, then seal and shake the jar gently. Set the jar out of direct sunlight and away from heat to steep for 4 days, shaking it every so often. While steeping, the vinegar will take on a raspberry hue and the fruit will lose most of its color. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large batter bowl (with a handle or into a large, nonreactive saucepan. Rinse the jar and return the strained vinegar to it. Rinse the bowl or saucepan. Dump the fruit and rinse the sieve. Dampen a flat-bottom coffee filter, then line the sieve with the filter and fit it over the bowl or saucepan. Pour in the vinegar a bit at a time, allowing it to drip into the receptacle. Transfer the vinegar to flasks or bottles. The vinegar should be ready to use immediately, with a shelf life of at least 1 year. YIELD: 6 cups VARIATION: For Raspberry Lemon Thyme Vinegar, place 1 sprig fresh lemon thyme in a flask or bottle before adding the vinegar. Fill, seal, and steep out of direct sunlight and away from heat for 1 week before using or shipping. ================ Rosemary or Tarragon Vinegar 1 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon or rosemary 2 cups sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar Place the herbs in a clean, sterilized jar and use a spoon to bruise them slightly. Pour the vinegar over the herbs and cover the jar tightly. Put the jar in a dark place at room temperature to let the herb-vinegar mixture steep. Shake the jar every few days and taste the vinegar after one week. If the flavor is not strong enough, let it stand for another 1-3 weeks, checking the flavor weekly. If an even stronger flavor is desired, repeat the steeping process with fresh herbs. When the flavor is right, strain the vinegar into a different sterilized bottle; cap tightly.