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Flavored Vinegar

We’re serving up fresh healthy gift ideas every day from now until December 12. Catch up on the previous gifts here.

I start brainstorming holiday gifts for friends and family almost as soon as Thanksgiving ends!  I love to use my culinary inspiration to create handmade gifts for loved ones, and this year I am making flavored vinegars. The fun thing about flavored vinegars is that they are super simple, so you can literally make each one personalized for the recipient and their tastes without a lot of hassle.

The Basics:

• Use good white wine vinegar
• Find some cute bottles or jars (check out your craft store, or decorate jars you have on hand)
• Sterilize your bottles in boiling water for ten minutes.

Get Creative
Make up your own custom blend, or try these delicious combos. All recipes based on 16 ounces of vinegar.

• Tarragon Vinegar: Fill you bottle with vinegar and add 3-4 sprigs of fresh tarragon.
• Lemon and Chive: Fill your bottle with vinegar and add 2-3 pieces of lemon rind and a few sprigs of fresh chive
• Chili-Orange Vinegar: Fill you bottle with vinegar and add 2-3 pieces of orange rind and 2-3 small chili peppers (more if you like it hot)
• Garlic Vinegar: Fill your bottle with vinegar and add 2-3 cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of garlic chives or parsley.
• Raspberry Vinegar: Add 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries to the bottle then fill with vinegar.
• Winter Herb Vinegar: Fill bottle with vinegar, then add 1sprig fresh thyme, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 spring fresh oregano
• Summer Herb Vinegar: Fill bottle with vinegar, then add 2 sprigs fresh chives, 1 sprig fresh dill, 4-5 fresh basil leaves, a spring of fresh parsley.

Storage and Gift-Giving
The longer the vinegars steep the more intense the flavor. Make then sooner than later and they will be perfectly flavorful come holiday gift giving time. They last for 2-3 months (throw them out if they grow mold).

TELL US: What is your favorite vinegar flavor?

Katie Cavuto Boyle, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, personal chef and owner of HealthyBites, LLC. See Katie’s full bio »

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• Homemade Vanilla Extract
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• Herb’s Puerto Rican Eggnog
• Ina’s Homemade Marshmallows
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