Last Monday’s Blackberry Vinegar set off a chain reaction here at TVFGI… it was so delicious I’ve been experimenting with all sorts of flavors.  The whole thing started with an obscenely expensive bottle of strawberry vinegar that I bought at a farmstand a while back.  When I got it home and tried it I was surprised at the sauce-like consistency and vivid fresh fruit taste.  This kind of fruit vinegar isn’t anything like the stuff you buy off the supermarket shelf, it’s a thick, vibrant  combination of fresh fruit puree and good white wine vinegar.  At a ratio of about 1 to 1, they are so full of flavor they can transform a meal.  You can make an instant salad dressing by mixing them with oil, or drizzle them on meats, fish, or grilled vegetables.  You can substitute them whenever a marinade or other recipe calls for vinegar.  It’s too easy not to try, and you will fall in love, like I did.

Fresh Raspberry Vinegar
one 6 oz package of fresh raspberries, rinsed
1/3 cup white wine (or champagne) vinegar

• Puree the berries in a small sized food processor.  Strain out the seeds by passing the puree through a mesh strainer.  Push out all the puree with the back of a spoon.  You should be left with about 2/3 cup of puree.
• Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of vinegar, just taste it and see how you like it.  I ended up using 1/3 cup.
• Store in a capped bottle in the refrigerator.  Use within a few weeks.

It goes without saying that you can and should try this will all
kinds of berries and fruits.  Along with today’s raspberry and last week’s blackberry,  I’ve also used  pale orange raspberries.  I already know that strawberries make an awesome vinegar, so I think I’ll try peaches or blueberries next. 

For me, this is one of the great discoveries of the
season, right there alongside the one ingredient chocolate mousse, and
the 30-second mayo.   It’s a healthy way to wake up about a million different kinds of foods…and one more way to get every last bit of enjoyment out of summer’s fresh fruits.

One year ago today—