Photo: Maplan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Vinegar · From Bladwijzer
Birch leaf vinegar
- Makes: ± 500 ml
- Time: 20 min + 2 weeks steeping
- From: Silver birch
Ingredients
- 60 g young birch leaves (about 3 handfuls)
- 500 ml cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Method
- Pick young, soft leaves in April or May, away from busy roads and sprayed fields.
- Rinse them briefly and let them dry completely on a tea towel. Water would dilute the vinegar.
- Fill a clean 600 ml jar three-quarters full with leaves and press them down lightly.
- Pour the vinegar over until all the leaves are covered. Stir in the honey, if using.
- Put a piece of baking paper between the vinegar and a metal lid (vinegar corrodes metal) and close. Leave for 2 weeks in a dark place, shaking every few days.
- Strain the vinegar through a fine cloth and pour it into a clean bottle.
Storing: Dark and cool for up to 1 year. Use the vinegar in dressings and marinades. If you are allergic to birch pollen, better leave it alone.