On Thu 03 Mar 2005 12:02:21a, Katra wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> In article >,
> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> On Wed 02 Mar 2005 12:20:54p, Katra wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>> >
>> > Sounds good!
>> > Have you ever tried making a flavored herbal vinigar? I take either
>> > apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar and fresh herbs from the
>> > herb garden, washed well, and stuff a jar full of the fresh herbs,
>> > then pour the vinegar over them, fill the jar and close it up. I let
>> > it soak for a good couple of weeks.
>>
>> My favorite that I make and try to keep on hand is made with white wine
>> vinegar, a few whole cloves, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, fennel seed,
>> fresh bay laurel, fresh basil, and fresh marjoram.
>
> ooh sounds rich!

I used to buy it as Soleillou Radiant Wine Herb Vinegar, but it hasn't
been available for years, so now I make a very good version of it.

>
>>
>> > Then for decoration, you can take a nice clear wine bottle and put a
>> > few long sprigs of fresh herbs in there like rosemary, tarragon,
>> > sage, etc. and pour the herbal vinegar into the bottle. Tie a ribbon
>> > around the top after replacing the cork.
>>
>> Very pretty, indeed! Looks nice in the kitchen.
>
> Yes indeed! I have some next to the stove!
> A Chambord bottle is quite nice!

Oh, those are pretty bottles!

>>
>> >
>> > Makes a nice gift, or keep it for yourself for salads!
>>
>> Hehehe, I never make enough to give away!
>
> Well, if you grow your own herbs (and I nearly always have excess!) it's
> an inexpensive gift for your cooking friends! :-)

Alas, I grow nothing but cactii! Buying enough fresh herbs would be
prohibitive for me.

>>
>> >
>> > I have a LOT of chili petin bushes that grow wild, so I usually
>> > vinegar those. Goes well on fish.
>>
>> That sounds really good!
>
> Ooh yes indeed! They are spicy little buggers and I get more than I can
> use every year as the bushes are perrenial and native so they just get
> bigger every year! My cockatoo is quite happy to get a handful as a
> treat regularly when they are in season.

Hmmm, I had no idea that birds would eat something so spicy, but I don't
know much about birds. My experience is limited to parakeets and canaries
that I had as a child.

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974