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| Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis |
Herbal vinegars can be used in cooking and salad dressings or taken directly as a daily tonic
They can also be used as hair rinses or added to a bath
Herbal vinegars can keep for at least six months and are usually made in a base of organic apple cider vinegar
Some herbs I like to use are Mint, Lavender, Tarragon, Thyme, Borage and Basil. Our next project is to make some Rosemary vinegar which is useful in cooking and also makes a good final hair rinse for people with darker hair and/ or problem scalps
Rosemary Vinegar
This is how I make my herbal vinegars, first you need to pick your herbs (we're doing Rosemary)make sure you pick in the morning when all the dew has dried, but before it gets too hot. A rough guide is three large stalks of Rosemary to two cups apple cider vinegar
Have a clean sterilised jar handy that you can put your rosemary into after it's been roughly chopped 
. How tightly you pack the jar with your Rosemary will determine how much vinegar you add and also the strength of your rosemary vinegar
. How tightly you pack the jar with your Rosemary will determine how much vinegar you add and also the strength of your rosemary vinegar
For culinary purposes add a little less herb, and for a hair rinse pack the herb more tightly
Make sure you fill the jar right to the top with vinegar so there are no gaps left for air.
You will need to use a plastic lid as the vinegar won't react to it
After you have sealed your jar, label and date it and leave to steep in a sunny place like a window sill, shaking once every few days. Leave the mix to steep for up to six weeks. For Culinary vinegars you can taste earlier to check the strength. Once they have steeped long enough you can strain and decant the vinegar into a pretty bottle and add a small fresh sprig of herb if you wish. Make sure you don't use any metal ensils or lids when preparing the vinegar as it can react
