I love making Christmas gifts for my family and friends.
Somehow it makes Christmas feel even more special when you are sitting at the kitchen table cutting fruit for a Christmas cake, bottling flavored vinegars or packaging Christmas cookies, knowing that this is exactly what people have been doing for centuries.
This year I'm keeping my homemade gift ideas simple and easy (no time for complicated recipes!).
Flavored vinegars make excellent homemade gifts. They are suitable for any kitchen and if you can get a pretty bottle, look elegant too.
Here are three of my recipes to try.
Make sure you read the tips below before you start...
tarragon vinegar
1 cup fresh tarragon, leaves only, chopped
3 cups white wine vinegar
If you aren't able to find fresh tarragon, use dried. Just reduce the amount to about 3/4 cup.
Add the tarragon to the vinegar in a large saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Allow the liquid to cool, then strain it to remove the herb leaves.
Pour it into bottles and add a small, leafy twig of tarragon for decoration if you have one.
Seal the bottles and leave to mature in a cool, dark place for 3 or 4 weeks.
honey vinegar
5 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried peppermint
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped
Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Allow the mixture to cool, then strain it to remove all solids.
Pour it into your pretty bottles and add a fresh piece of thyme for decoration.
Seal the bottles and leave to mature in a cool, dark place for 3 or 4 weeks.
spiced vinegar
8 cups malt vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cinnamon stick , broken into smaller pieces
14 black peppercorns
2 inch (5cm) fresh ginger, crushed
6 cloves
allspice berries
2 teaspoons mace
2 teaspoons celery seeds
Roll a rolling pin over the peppercorns, cloves, and allspice berries to rough them up a bit.
Add all the ingredients together in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
Take off the heat, cover and leave to steep for 24 hours.
Strain the liquid and bottle.
Decorate with herb sprigs and a couple of peppercorns or cloves if you wish. Just remember, the flavor will be even stronger over time.
Seal the bottles.
Before You Start:
TIP: make sure the bottles are really clean and that the lids are non-corrosive and will fit tightly.
TIP: use the best quality vinegar you can afford to buy. It will make a huge difference to the end product.
TIP: use a non-reactive saucepan to simmer your vinegar mix. Aluminum is the main one to avoid.
TIP: if you can't wait for your vinegars to mature, just pop a note in with your gift to advise that it will taste better if left for 3 or 4 weeks.
Making Christmas gifts in your own kitchen is fun and you can create a gourmet quality item for a fraction of the price it costs to buy in the shops.
Remember to dress up your homemade gifts by using pretty bottles and taking some time to wrap or box them so they look stylish.
