In article >,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> On Thu 03 Mar 2005 12:02:21a, Katra wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > In article >,
> > Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
> >
> >> On Wed 02 Mar 2005 12:20:54p, Katra wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >> >
> >> > Sounds good!
> >> > Have you ever tried making a flavored herbal vinigar? I take either
> >> > apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar and fresh herbs from the
> >> > herb garden, washed well, and stuff a jar full of the fresh herbs,
> >> > then pour the vinegar over them, fill the jar and close it up. I let
> >> > it soak for a good couple of weeks.
> >>
> >> My favorite that I make and try to keep on hand is made with white wine
> >> vinegar, a few whole cloves, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, fennel seed,
> >> fresh bay laurel, fresh basil, and fresh marjoram.
> >
> > ooh sounds rich!
>
> I used to buy it as Soleillou Radiant Wine Herb Vinegar, but it hasn't
> been available for years, so now I make a very good version of it.
>
> >
> >>
> >> > Then for decoration, you can take a nice clear wine bottle and put a
> >> > few long sprigs of fresh herbs in there like rosemary, tarragon,
> >> > sage, etc. and pour the herbal vinegar into the bottle. Tie a ribbon
> >> > around the top after replacing the cork.
> >>
> >> Very pretty, indeed! Looks nice in the kitchen.
> >
> > Yes indeed! I have some next to the stove!
> > A Chambord bottle is quite nice!
>
> Oh, those are pretty bottles!

Yes. :-)
And the contents are fabulous for baking, or just a little poured over
vanilla ice cream!

>
> >>
> >> >
> >> > Makes a nice gift, or keep it for yourself for salads!
> >>
> >> Hehehe, I never make enough to give away!
> >
> > Well, if you grow your own herbs (and I nearly always have excess!) it's
> > an inexpensive gift for your cooking friends! :-)
>
> Alas, I grow nothing but cactii! Buying enough fresh herbs would be
> prohibitive for me.

What kind of cacti?
I'm just getting started on it in my greenhouse and have a nice small
collection of mixed cacti, and several San Pedros. I've also managed to
start some Trichocereus peruvianus from seed. I think I've got at least
50 of those that are nearly an inch tall now. :-) They eventually reach
5 to 6 meters.

Honestly, if you can grow cacti, you can grow herbs! They like warm
temps. Mine are on the West side of the house where they stay fairly
warm during the winter. Most of them are pretty easy as most herbs are
"weeds". <G> Try some rosemary and sage at first. Those are friendly to
a desert environment! So is dittany of crete, a type of oregano.

>
> >>
> >> >
> >> > I have a LOT of chili petin bushes that grow wild, so I usually
> >> > vinegar those. Goes well on fish.
> >>
> >> That sounds really good!
> >
> > Ooh yes indeed! They are spicy little buggers and I get more than I can
> > use every year as the bushes are perrenial and native so they just get
> > bigger every year! My cockatoo is quite happy to get a handful as a
> > treat regularly when they are in season.
>
> Hmmm, I had no idea that birds would eat something so spicy, but I don't
> know much about birds. My experience is limited to parakeets and canaries
> that I had as a child.

Most parrot food mixes have dried chiles. :-)

Parrots, like humans, don't make their own vitamin C so it needs to be
in their diets. Peppers have vitamin C in them, and parrots love them! I
also give her fresh citrus. Oranges and grapefruits. She loves them!

Most predators (cats and dogs) make their own vitamin C so it does not
need to be supplemented.

Animal health 101. <G>

--
K.

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