Recipe: Fruit Vinegar Gifts

the appetizer:

Surprise your friends and family this holiday with recipes and crafts from Christmas Sweets: 65 Festive Recipes—Table Decorations—Sweet Gift Ideas by Georgeanne Brennan, with inspirations like Frosted Ornament Cookies, a Cookie Tree Centerpiece, and Fruit Vinegar Gifts.

Fruit Vinegar Gifts

Homemade fruit vinegars are a welcome gift for the holidays. Two recipes are given here, but you might substitute other fruits, such as raspberries, blackberries, or even figs. For decoration, you can add a few cinnamon sticks or pear slices to the cinnamon-pear vinegar or uncooked pomegranate seeds to the pomegranate vinegar.

You will need:

Cinnamon-Pear Vinegar

2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon pear-flavored syrup

Pomegranate Vinegar

2 cups red wine vinegar and
1 cup pomegranate seeds or 1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup

Funnel
Tall decorative bottles with corks
Pen
Decorative labels
Hole punch
Decorative cord or ribbon
Antique milk bottle carrier (available at antique stores and flea markets)
Seasonal fresh fruit (pears and pomegranates are used here)

To make:

For the Cinnamon-Pear Vinegar: In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar cinnamon sticks, and the pear syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let stand for at least 1 or up to 3 hours.

For the Pomegranate Vinegar: In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar and pomegranate seeds or syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let stand for at least 1 or up to 3. hours.

Using the funnel, fill the bottles with vinegar Cork the bottles tightly

Write the name of each vinegar on a decorative label, hole-punch the label, and thread it with cord or ribbon. Tie labels to the bottle necks and put the bottles in the bottle carrier Fill the remaining compartments of the carrier with fresh fruit.