Vim and Vigor - Or is it Vinegar?

Fall is one of my favorite times of year and not just for the humting and the colors of the leaves, but for the harvest and all the wonderful things that come with it!  This week at Wicked Raven we have had a great patch of sage that needed harvesting and at just the right moment I ran out of my favorite flavor of vinegar infusion - sage with garlic and black peppercorns.

Flavored vinegars are some of the easiest harvest preservations there are.  For this one simply take a glass bottle of your choice (a ball jar will work but I like a pretty one - mine is an upcycled Crown Royal bottle).  I use white vinegar for this one as it lends itself to letting the flavor of the sage come through.

The amount of other ingredients you use depends on the size of your storage jar.  For mine I use 1/8 cup of peppercorns - whole or half (cracked) is fine.  Less pepper is ok too if you like less of a bite - it's kind of a to your own taste thing. Two whole cloves of garlic and two large fresh sprigs of sage,  Put all of the items in the bottle and fill with vinegar leaving about 1/2 inch of head room so you can give it a good shake once in a while!

Let the jar sit for a few weeks in a cool dark place (your cupboard counts) and then use as you would any vinegar.  This type is wonderful in meat marinades and I also use it in my marinara sauce.  When you use some of it just replace that amount of fresh vinegar to have a perpetual supply.  I know you cant read the label on the jar above but do be sure to label your products correctly - It's not fun trying to guess what type of vinegar you are working with by taste or smell!  After about 6 months I do add another bit of garlic, pepper and sage - depending on how much I have used but it's usually ready for a little freshening about every 6 months.  I try to make new once a year - the flavor is better with fresh.

 

Stay tuned - Tarragon harvest is coming up and I have a great vinegar recipe to share for that as well!  Happy Harvest!  Blessed BE!