Perfect DIY Gift for Home Cooks

Perfect DIY Gift for Home Cooks

Make your own easy to personalize gourmet vinegars at home. A great, unique gift idea to give your foodie friends this holiday!

Ingredients:

• Pearl onions, peeled

• Baby carrots, peeled, greens cut off

• Cranberries

• Scallions, trimmed

• Whole peppercorns

• Vinegar (white wine, cider, red wine)

• Empty glass wine bottles

• Funnel

• Fresh corks

Preparing the Bottles:

1. Design and print photo labels and place them, centered, on self-adhesive laminating paper. Be sure to leave a generous border of laminating paper on all four sides of the photos labels.

2. Attach the label to a clear glass bottle. Flatten the labels and smooth out any air bubbles.

For Onion Carrot Vinegar:

1. Drop in peeled pearl onions. Be sure to peel them small enough to fit through the neck of the bottle. Add in enough onions to cover the bottom of the bottle.

2. Add a few baby carrots that are peeled thin enough to fit into the bottle.

3. Using a funnel, fill the bottle with vinegar.

4. Cork the bottle tightly.

For Cranberry Vinegar:

1. Drop the cranberries in a bottle. If you are using frozen cranberries, be sure to wipe off excess moisture.

2. Using a funnel, fill the bottle with vinegar.

3. Cork the bottle tightly.

4. For Scallion Peppercorn Vinegar:

5. Trim the scallions so they can fit in the bottle.

6. Toss in a handful of black peppercorns.

7. Using a funnel, fill the bottle with vinegar.

8. Cork the bottle tightly.

Sealing the Bottles:

1. Place paraffin wax in a heat-resistant dish in a pan of boiling water until all of the wax is melted.

2. Dip the neck of the corked bottle into the wax.  Swirl the neck of the bottle in the wax to make sure it’s covered well. Make sure at least 1/3 of the neck is covered in wax. Allow any excess wax to fall off.

3. To make it really beautiful, allow the first layer of wax to cool and harden for a few minutes, then dip the bottle again.

4. To stop the drips from sliding too far down the bottle, hold your finger on the bottle neck.

5. Store in a cool, dark place for 5-6 days, shaking occasionally. This allows for the flavors to emulsify.

Use:

Carrot & onion vinegar is a perfect base for salad dressing.

Cranberry vinegar is great for coleslaw.

Scallion peppercorn vinegar works well in a stir-fry.