These vinegars will be found very useful, at times when the articles
with which they are flavoured cannot be conveniently procured. Care
should be taken to have the bottles that contain them accurately
labelled, very tightly corked, and kept in a dry place. The vinegar
used for these purposes should be of the very best sort.
TARRAGON VINEGAR.--Tarragon should be gathered on a dry day, just
before the plant flowers. Pick the green leaves from the stalks, and
dry them a little before the fire. Then put them into a wide-mouthed
stone jar, and cover them with the best vinegar, filling up the jar.
Let it steep fourteen days, and then strain it into wide-mouthed
bottles, in each of which put a large quantity of fresh tarragon
leaves, and let them remain in the vinegar.
SWEET BASIL VINEGAR.--Is made precisely in the same manner; also those
of green mint, and sweet marjoram.
CELERY VINEGAR.--Pound two ounces of celery seed in a mortar, and steep
it for a fortnight in a quart of vinegar. Then strain and bottle it.
BURNET VINEGAR.--Nearly fill a wide-mouthed bottle with the fresh green
leaves of burnet, cover them with vinegar, and let them steep two
weeks. Then strain off the vinegar, wash the bottle, put in a fresh
supply of burnet leaves, pour the same vinegar over them, and let it
infuse a fortnight longer. Then strain it again and it will be fit for
use. The flavour will exactly resemble that of cucumbers.
HORSERADISH VINEGAR.--Make a quart of the best vinegar boiling hot, and
pour it on four ounces of scraped horseradish. Let it stand a week,
then strain it off, renew the horseradish, adding the same vinegar
cold, and let it infuse a week longer, straining it again at the last.
SHALOT VINEGAR.--Peel and chop fine four ounces of shalots, or small
button onions. Pour on them a quart of the best vinegar, and let them
steep a fortnight; then strain and bottle it.
Make garlic vinegar in the same manner; using but one ounce of garlic
to a quart of vinegar. Two or three drops will be sufficient to impart
a garlic taste to a pint of gravy or sauce. More will be offensive. The
cook should be cautioned to use it very sparingly, as to many persons
it is extremely disagreeable.
CHILLI VINEGAR.--Take a hundred red chillies or capsicums, fresh
gathered; cut them into small pieces and infuse them for a fortnight in
a quart of the best vinegar shaking the bottle every day. Then strain
it.
RASPBERRY VINEGAR.--Put two quarts of ripe fresh-gathered raspberries
into a stone or china vessel, and pour on them a quart of vinegar.
Let it stand twenty-four hours, and then strain it through a sieve.
Pour the liquid over two quarts of fresh raspberries, and let it again
infuse for a day and a night. Then strain it a second time. Allow a
pound of loaf sugar to every pint of juice. Break up the sugar, and
let it melt in the liquor. Then put the whole into a stone jar, cover
it closely, and set it in a kettle of boiling water, which must be kept
on a quick boil for an hour. Take off all the scum, and when cold,
bottle the vinegar for use.
Raspberry vinegar mixed with water is a pleasant and cooling beverage
in warm weather; also in fevers.