Recipe: Summer Herb Flower Vinegar

herb flower vinegar

Olivia’s mom, Lola, is famous for her potato salad that seems so simple, but has a certain je ne sais quoi—the secret ingredient: chive-flower-infused vinegar. She recalls, “As a child I was enchanted by the apothecary bottles lined up on our kitchen shelves, stuffed with purple pompoms—I just knew there was magic happening inside.” By following this simple recipe, you too can create magic!

This excerpt is from The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center Cookbook by The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center with Olivia Rathbone. It has been adapted for the web.


Instructions

Pack the herb flowers into the bottom of a clean, small-mouthed pint (or quart) -sized Mason jar or other glass container. Pour in the vinegar to cover by an inch. Vinegar will corrode metal, so use a plastic lid—if you don’t have one, create a barrier by putting a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper over the mouth and screw on the metal lid over it. Keep in a cool dark place for 3 weeks. Strain the infused vinegar, compost the spent flowers, and funnel the vinegar back into the original bottle or another decorative glass vessel. Makes a great gift.

Serves 4–6

Makes about 1½ cups

  • 1½ cups packed chive flowers, society garlic flowers, sage flowers, rosemary flowers, basil flowers, monarda (bee balm) blossoms, dill flowers, or fennel flowers
  • Good-quality white wine or champagne vinegar to cover, about 1½ cups

Serves 30–40

Makes about 3 cups

  • 3 cups packed chive flowers, society garlic flowers, sage flowers, rosemary flowers, basil flowers, monarda (bee balm) blossoms, dill flowers, or fennel flowers
  • Good-quality white wine or champagne vinegar to cover, about 3 cups

flowers

Enter your email to sign up for our newsletter and save 25% on your next order

Recent Articles

desserts

Show-Stealing Desserts for Holiday Celebrations

Holiday dinner dishes and sides get all the attention — but the reality is, dessert is where it’s at. Here are some show-stealing desserts to serve at your next holiday celebration. The following recipes have been adapted for the web. Lost Nation Cider Pie From The Apple Grower Make ahead: The recipe calls for making…

Read More

Worth Puckering Up For: Simply Delicious Cranberry Muffins & Holiday Bread

Cranberries add a sweet, tart tang to treats. Feature them as the main ingredient or a happy sidekick in these cranberry bread recipes. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or snack time!

Read More

Herbal Medicine: Knowledge Rooted in Connection

Using herbal medicine to heal the body is an ancient practice. It has since become a worldwide industry. Today, modern-day doctor’s visits and industrial medicine have displaced common knowledge of herbal medicine. Some still remember the ancient practice. In her book Following the Herbal Harvest, Ann Armbrecht interviews one such person, Phyllis Light, a fourth-generation…

Read More
side dish

Elevate Your Holiday Dinner Side Dish Game

Tired of the same old side dishes taking up the table during your holiday feast? Excite your tastebuds with these unique and flavorful side dish recipes! The following recipes have been adapted for the web. Amazake Rye Bread From Koji Alchemy by Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih (Note: This recipe calls for koji. If you don’t…

Read More

The Search for A Welsh Leek

How did the modern leek become what it is today? On his quest to save our heritage produce, Adam Alexander (otherwise known as the Indiana Jones of vegetables) unveiled the complex history behind leeks and many other veggies, along with how they made our way to our dinner plates. While on this mission, Adam started…

Read More