Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar

Because I picked so many raspberries, I wanted to try something besides jam.  I looked through The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving and found a recipe for Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar; I love red wine vinegar, so I thought I'd give it a shot!  It's a really easy recipe - just red wine vinegar, water, sugar, and raspberries.

The recipe is visible in the following photo, but I really think that if you're going to do any preserving, you should purchase the book.  It's got a lot of great recipes, and also - BUY BOOKS.

Heat raspberries, water,  and sugar.

Add the red wine vinegar and boil.

Then the raspberries.

You can also add mint as a variation.  I have a forest of it growing in my yard, so I use it whenever I can.  (BTW - don't ever plant mint.  EVER.  It spreads like crazy and is impossible to get rid of.  This year, it started growing up in my lawn, and I'm having a horrible time trying to control it.)

Strain.

 

And bottle!  As the directions didn't call for processing, I simply put the vinegar in wine bottles that I got from the home brew store.  However, you can also find lots of glass bottles in various sizes at The Container Store.  Unlike storebought red wine vinegar, it does need to stay refrigerated.

I tried some of the vinegar on a piece of French bread - it was DELICIOUS.  I can't wait to use it!

Next time:  Raspberry Gastrique