Apple cider vinegar is easy to buy for a small price. But making your own is even easier. If you buy organic fruits, the skins are perfectly safe to eat. We’ve got a few ideas for using up your fruit peelings, which might just help neutralize your global footprint, but we’ll start with healthy and fermented vinegar. We can sip apple cider vinegar diluted with water to start every day, but there are hundreds of other wonderful ways it can be used.
Cider vinegar is delicious splashed into many recipes, from soups to meats to seafood. We’ve created a Maple Apple Bear Butter that also lends itself well to a little added splash of cider vinegar.
Per serving:
Clean and sterilize 1.5 L canning jar. Press and mash down apple peels, cores, and bruised chopped apples along with ginger root into jar.
Dissolve sugar in enough distilled water to cover apples. You will need to press down—apples need to be completely submerged. Add a little more distilled water if needed. Weigh down apples with a heavy sterilized weight that fits into jar. Cover with cheesecloth and secure with rubber band.
Leave in a dark place at room temperature for about 3 weeks. Check on it every couple of days to make sure fruit is still submerged and no mold is growing. Apples exposed to air will cause mold. Be quick to scoop out mold and discard. The mold will not spoil the vinegar unless it goes deeper inside the jar.
Note: do not mistake mold for the "mother" which is the culture of beneficial bacteria that makes fermentation work more quickly.
After 3 weeks, the apple mixture will smell rather sweet. Strain and return liquid to jar. Cover with cheesecloth and rubber band and allow it to rest at room temperature for another 3 weeks. Stir every few days.
It will turn in scent and suddenly reach a tartness, at which time it's ready. Apply canning lid on top and refrigerate before use.
This simple dessert celebrates the glory that is the summer strawberry. Don’t feel you have to stick to strawberries here; swapping them for ripe peaches would also make for a stunning ending to any meal. What to gild the lily with? Add a dollop of whipped coconut cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Flower power Orange blossom water (also known as orange flower water) is produced by water distillation of the blossoms of a bitter orange tree. Just like rose water, a little goes a long way. So, take care and use just a drop or two, tasting as you go so as not to overwhelm but rather to complement the other flavours in a dish.
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What worldwide vacation is complete without a stop in Italy? Dad won’t miss the meat in this flavourful mushroom alternative complete with Italian spices and a zesty vegetable tapenade. Portobellos have a uniquely “meaty” texture and act as a sponge to lock in loads of flavour. This meaty plant-based burger is sure to become a favourite—even with any meat-lovers in your life. Custom-made! Don’t be afraid to customize your burger buns to fit your patties. If your bun’s too big, trim off excess and save the trimmed bits of bread, but don’t discard. Instead, cut into small cubes; drizzle with some olive oil, sea salt, and seasonings of choice; bake at 350 F (180 C) for 10 to 15 minutes, and you’ll have delicious homemade croutons for use in soups and salads throughout the week.
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