I do like balsamic. I think I'd leave out the sugar with that though, since it provides it's own sweetness. Tarragon? Why not? I can provide the proportions of the original ingredients if you'd like. As I said, it's from The Silver Palette Cookbook. Some good stuff in that, though the recipes can call for some esoteric or expensive ingredients. There's a great apple cake recipe in it that calls for Calvados. Priced real Calvados lately? I usually end up with Laird's applejack as a substitute, though it lacks the nice apple flavor.
I love vinegar! I like it so much, I make my own cider vinegar.
I have about 8 apple trees, and I had a friend who purchased a cider mill and started running it during apple season. I used to take my apples to him for pressing. Last time I did it, I had 40 gallons of cider!
I froze about 20 gallons (it freezes great), and made cider out of the rest. Here is how I did it: I bought two of those old 5 gallon glass carboys that spring water used to come in for the old fashioned water coolers. I filled them up with the apple cider which was NOT pasteurized. The cider would start to work, and this would go on for a few weeks until it became hard cider. Then, if left uncorked, the hard cider will turn to vinegar. It creates this large jellyfish looking thing in the liquid that is called "mother" by the vinegar makers. I have 10 gallons of prime stuff down in my cellar right now that I have to put into 1 quart bottles when I have a vew minutes.
This is vinegar! It is much stronger than the stuff you buy in the market. We use it on salads, in recipies, etc. Sometimes I even take a little shot of it straight since the natural food people say that it is really good for you.
Once in a blue moon I give a quart of it away to a family member, but I really hate to part with it.
The State Dept. of Health last year put a stop to my friend's cider mill. They said he has to pastuerize the cider if he is going to sell it to the public. He won't do that, so he got out of the apple spueezing business. I guess I am going to have to buy my own cider press from Happy Valley Ranch next year if I am going to continue to make my own cider and vinegar.
Any other vinegar makers out there who want to share their methods?
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