Since our cucumbers and our dill are out of sync, I make dill vinegar for pickling and also for a salad dressing base (dill viniagrette). First, the fun part. Empty a clear wine bottle that has a screw cap (since the unfortunate disease that took out Portugese cork trees, a lot of good wines are going to screw caps), and I don't mean empty the wine down the drain! When you have recovered from emptying the wine bottle, cut fresh dill, wash it and dry it as much as possible, stuff the bottle full (I use a chopstick to urge the dill stems to the bottom of the bottle) and then fill with white vinegar. Replace the cap, mark the day's date on the bottle, and let it sit in a cool, dark place for at least a month. I have no idea how long dill vinegar lasts--if we don't use it up, friends do.
Well I nevvuh ! I really have not heard of this. BTW Jane--After emptying the wine bottle, do you wash the bottle out before using? Or do you leave the residue and a little bit in the bottom? It could give the vinegar a little extra interesting flavour. I suppose that you wash and sterilize the bottles, although you probably wouldn't have to, as the acetic acid would keep down any bacterial attempt at colonization. Anyhow...great posting. They do look interesting, don't they, those filled bottles.
Sjoerd, I wash the bottles but don't sterilize them--a little wine never hurt anything! As you pointed out the acetic acid prevents bacteria setting up housekeeping. We also do red wine/basil vinegar, and thyme vinegar. The red wine/basil is a great marinade for beef and also a base for salad dressings, and the thyme is good on chicken or pork--a light brushing once while on the grill, and again just before removing from the grill really adds extra flavor.
Nice posting, Jane--You really are an accomplished Kitchen princess. I mean, those vinegars and so forth are of Masterchef quality. I'll bet your man feels like he eats like a king.
Sjoerd, thank you for the kind words (I'm blushing and smiling as I read them). I love to cook and "mess about" in the kitchen but I have a lot to learn! My husband's mother was a terrible cook who spent as little time in the kitchen as possible and specialized in pre-made frozen foods. If I fed my dear husband anything that didn't come in a box, he'd think he was in heaven. In over 40 years of marriage he has developed a palate and an adventuresome attitude toward food. However, he still gets the shudders if he sees a box of Stouffer's frozen lasagna!
Heh,heh,heh....good post. I guess that the old addage has been proved yet again-- "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach"..Right?
