Tarragon and Lemon Wine Vinegar

Making your own herb and spice vinegars is easy and adds a wonderful range of flavors to salad dressings, to stock, or to sauces and soups. For a delicious, healthful tonic boost stir a spoonful of herbal vinegar into a glass of water, and drink it down. Enjoy! FYI: Vinegar extracts the vitamins and minerals from plants as well as the essential oils and flavors. The acidic nature of vinegar releases the iron and calcium and makes them easy for our bodies to use. Pregnant mamas, women during menses and menopause, growing teens, those dealing with health issues such as iron deficiencies, arthritis and bone loss are nourished by the liberal use of plant vinegars.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Yields: 1 bottle herb vinegar

Ingredients

• 1 (18 fluid ounce) bottle white wine vinegar
• 3 -4  long sprigs fresh tarragon, washed and any damaged leaves removed
• 3 -4  sprigs  of fresh unwaxed lemon peel

Directions

1. Pour off a little vinegar from the top of the bottle and push in the herbs and the lemon peel.
2. Re-seal the bottle and let stand on a sunny windowsill for 2-3 weeks. (Alternatively, let stand in a cool dark place for 4-6 weeks).
3. You can remove the old herbs and replace the sprigs with fresh ones, which will intensify the flavor.
4. As long as the bottle stays well sealed, the vinegar can last up to 2 years.
5. HELPFUL TIP: Don't use a metal cap on your bottle of vinegar, or it will corrode. Use plastic caps -or- place a couple of sheets of plastic or wax paper between the bottle and the cap.
6. Recipe Suggestion: Whisk together 2 tablespoons tarragon and lemon wine vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil; add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Use as a salad dressing for cold chicken and a selection of fresh greens. -Or- dilute a spoonful of your herbal vinegar in a small amount of water, and drink it down!