Raspberry Vinegar

Raspberry vinegar can be served with very heavy puddings, or as a little sour lift in very sweet ones. Vinegars were an important part of the medieval and renaissance cuisine.

Makes 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups)

100 g (3½ oz) raspberries or leftover raspberry pulp

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) good-quality cider vinegar

Rinse the raspberries and put them in a ceramic bowl. Crush the fruit with a fork and add the cider vinegar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in a cool, dark place for 3 days. After 3 days strain the vinegar and discard the pulp.

Transfer the vinegar to a clean bottle(s) using a funnel. Leave the bottle(s) for a month in a cool, dark place – it will be autumn by then. The vinegar will keep for at least 6 months, but I have used it for far longer. The taste doesn’t really change much as it ages, it just gets a little more pungent.