Foodie Friday: Herb Gardens and Herbed Vinegars

traditional landscape design courtesy of Houzz

Imagine a warm, breezy April morning. You open the gate and step into the herb garden.  The air churns with spicy, tart aromas. Bees circle the lavender. Tarragon grows in a patch of sun, giving off the poignant scent of anise, Rosemary (for remembrance) grows in spiky heaps.  The basil is blooming. You brush your hands over the mint and imagine making sweet tea and jelly. You pinch a sprig of oregano--it will be perfect for flatbread pizza tonight. Don't forget a handful of dill for the potato salad.

Courtesy of Houzz: Traditional landscape design by New York landscape architect, Deborah Cerbone Associates, Inc.

Herb gardens can be lush and formal, sprawling and weedy, or contained in pots. As my grandmother used to say, "The herbs taste the same."

Courtesy of Houzz: traditional landscape design by minneapolis general contractor John Kraemer & Sons.

courtesy of Houzz

Photo: Rattlebridge's herb garden.
No matter if you grow your own herbs or buy them at the market, you can make flavored vinegars. This is an inexpensive, easy way to enhance flavor. Imagine spiking potato salad with chive-dill vinegar. Delicious!

How to Make Herbed Vinegar

1. Place herbs in a sterilized glass jar. Use a bamboo skewer to arrange herbs in the bottle.

2. Pour vinegar into a saucepan and heat gently to 80 degrees. Do not boil.

3. Place a funnel in the top of the jar and add vinegar. Don't be afraid to mix flavors.

4. Cap bottles. Steep in a sunlit window for two weeks. Gently turn bottles every day

5. Uncap bottles, remove herbs, and strain. Return vinegar to clean bottles.

6. Add a fresh herbal sprig and recap bottles.

Ideas:

Dill vinegar--add lemon zest

Tarragon--add chives and basil

Rosemary--add garlic (spear garlic with a bamboo skewer for easy removal).

 

Upcoming Event:

Read about the THE TEENY TEMPLETON COOK OFF

on the April 20th Foodie Friday.  A great giveaway!

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