SPICED VINEGAR

With its complex flavoring, this vinegar is a wonderful alternative to the usual vinegar taste. I make it in large quantities, put it into fancy bottles, add a cork and give it away to my friends and nieghbors at Christmas. It keeps indefinitely. Use it wherever vinegar is called for except when your recipe requires vinegar that is flavored in some other, more specific way. While the recipe calls for adding garlic, I leave this out, knowing that I can always add the garlic when I use the vinegar in a salad dressing.

SPICED VINEGAR
makes a lot

1. Combine, stir and heat slowly until just under the boiling point:

1/4 C whole cloves

1/4 C allspice

2 T mace

3 T celery seed

1/4 C mustard seed

6 T whole black peppercorns

3 T turmeric

1/4 C white ginger root

1 1/2 gallons cider vinegar

2 C sugar

2. When cool, slice and add 4 or more cloves of garlic for 24 hours (optional). Remove garlic and pour vinegar into bottles, jugs or fruit jars. Allow vinegar to sit, undisturbed, while the sediment settles to the bottom. This is ready to use in about 3 weeks.

Note: I suggest using a bottle with a narrow neck, like a wine bottle. This way, when youre pouring out the vinegar, the sediment catches in the curve of the bottle itself, allowing you to use the vinegar to the very last drop.