How to Make Blackberry Vinegar

 

Sometimes I never know what my next experiment is going to be until I find something unexpectedly. For example, our cheerleading team was hosting a garage sale fundraiser several months ago and I found four, white porcelain ramekins for $1. Not each, but all four for one dollar..BONUS! As soon as I saw them I KNEW I was going to make some kind of macaroni and cheese dish and that's when I created the recipe for Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese. Perfect right?

Well this is the exact same way this recipe for Blackberry Vinegar was created. I was walking through Target one day and I like to look through those few isles where they have everything for $1. These cruets caught my eye and I loved how they had a chalkboard front. Since Spring is just around the corner, I thought making some homemade vinegar would be a great idea to post about to get us all out of this winter doldrum.

Making your own vinegar is SUPER EASY, it's the waiting that's a killer! Two ingredients: vinegar and fruit of your choice are all you need. My local market has had an abundance of blackberries lately so I chose to use those, but feel free to experiment and substitute as you wish. Once you make the vinegar, you can use it as the base for a salad dressing; to marinate meat, poultry or fish; or toss it in with your favorite pasta salad recipe. Here are some other fun recipe combinations I can't wait to try:

• Raspberries + Balsamic Vinegar
• Pears + White Vinegar
• Oranges + Rice Wine Vinegar
• Strawberries + Red Wine Vinegar
• Peaches + White Vinegar
• Vanilla Bean + White Vinegar

Don't they sound good? I can't wait for salad season! ~Enjoy!