The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More - Arin Murphy-Hiscock 2017

Craft Vinegars for Potency
Green Witch Kitchen Recipes
Walking the Green Path

We are all familiar with infused herbal vinegars, which are easy to prepare. Simply chop or lightly bruise a handful of whatever fresh herb you wish to infuse and place the herb in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the herbal matter with wine, cider, or rice vinegar, seal, and let it rest for at least two to three weeks in the refrigerator, shaking it periodically. Strain out the herbal matter (or it will become bitter). Taste. If the flavor is not strong enough, add a new batch of chopped or bruised fresh herb to the infusion, cap, and let it rest for another week. Check weekly. When the desired flavor has been obtained, strain out the herbal matter. (If the flavor is not strong enough by three weeks of infusing the second batch of herbs, strain them out and replace with a new batch.)

Fruit vinegars are less well known but are made by the same method:

1. Dice or lightly crush approximately 1 cup of fruit and place it in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. (Do not add too much fruit, or the natural sugars will counter the vinegar’s natural acidic qualities.)

2. Cover the fruit with cider or wine vinegar. Seal the container and allow it to steep in the refrigerator until the taste is to your liking. Shake the container periodically.

3. Strain the fruit out when the strength of the infusion is to your taste.

4. Store in the refrigerator.

Fruit vinegars make lovely dressings for salads and refreshing additions to marinades.