MAKING VINEGAR AT HOME

Can I admit I'm not a fan of store-bought vinegar? I have even stopped consuming it in the last couple of years- except for balsamic that is- and by all means prefer a squirt of fresh lemon juice instead of store bought vinegar. Don't ask why the dislike- it's just one of those things I guess!

A while back though I remember seeing this awkward looking "stuff" in a jar, all I could recognize was grapes but I had no idea what the end result would be. "It's going to be vinegar" my mother said, "in 30 days that is- your grandfather used to always make homemade vinegar this way".

Vineleaves growing in our garden...and the last grape below...

Isn't it crazy how priceless and wonderful family kitchen secrets can be? I always find recipes that go down from one family member to another so precious and often worth sharing!

Love you grandpa!!

Recipe for home-made vinegar:

Grapes & wine. Always match red grapes with red wine and green grapes with white wine.

Glass container- clean and dry.

Wash the grapes and leave to try very well. In a bowl, squash them with your (clean) hands until the juices start coming out. Transfer to a glass container- for every 10cm worth of liquid in that jar, add 1cm wine. Close contain and do not open before 30 days. Every 2 days swirl the container a bit. After a month's worth of wait, filter out vinegar through a sieve into a glass bottle and enjoy!