How To Make Chive Blossom-Infused Vinegar
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Your resident gardening enthusiast is back! My brain is always overflowing with garden tips this time of year, and I love sharing them with you on the blog. If you love growing things as much as I do, or have any questions on your mind, please comment below or DM me on Instagram to let me know which topics you’d like to see covered!
What’s on the agenda for today? Well, herbs are everything — so I’m going to teach you the easiest way to use one of my favourites: chives!
Chives are one of the easiest herbs to grow. If you’re new to gardening, this is a great one for you! I recommend growing them in a pot, since they spread like wildfire. Chives also make great companion plants in your garden. Parsley, carrots and tomatoes all benefit from chives growing near them, as they help to repel aphids, carrot rust flies and Japanese beetles. In addition, the blossoms attract pollinators and other beneficial insects which are important for garden growth. Just make sure to avoid planting chives near beans and peas.
You can enjoy chives from spring through summer and add an amazing, fresh flavour to any dish. But don’t stop there! In case you didn’t know, you can eat more than the green stems — chive flowers, also known as blossoms, are edible and delicious. They come out mid-spring in a beautiful violet colour. You can add chive blossoms to potato salads or mashed potatoes, in a salad or even a homemade chive blossom butter! Don’t worry if you don't have a garden, though; look for chive blossoms at farmers’ markets or specialty grocery stores in May and June.
Okay, now for my favourite way to use chive blossoms: in vinegar! If you saw my blog about strawberry tops, you won’t be surprised that my newest obsession is making infused vinegars. For today’s recipe, we’re going to do almost the same thing — but make it purple! Keep reading to see how it all works.
Getting started:
PREP TIME:
5 minutes
WAIT TIME:
Two weeks
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- 5-7 chive blossoms (up to 1 cup)
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- Wooden spoon
- Reused glass jar with a lid
- Strainer
How to make chive blossom-infused vinegar:
Pick 5-7 fully opened chive blossoms (up to one cup).
Add blossoms to a reusable glass jar.
Use a wooden spoon to crush blossoms in the jar, releasing their flavour and scent.
Pour one cup of white wine vinegar on top of the blossoms until they are submerged.
Stir, then seal with a lid.
Leave for a minimum of two weeks in a cool, dark place (I put mine in the cupboard, in an easy-to-see place). This will give it a stronger flavour and is worth the wait!
After two weeks, strain to remove the blossoms and discard them in the compost.
Keep tightly sealed and enjoy as you would regular vinegar!
Optional variation: stir in chopped chive stems as well as the blossoms to intensify the flavour of the vinegar.
This chive blossom-infused vinegar is perfect to add to a DIY salad dressing. Here's a recipe we love:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chive blossom-infused vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste
If you made it this far, thank you for reading, and I hope you love this recipe! If you haven’t grown chives yet, I hope you take this as your sign to add them to your garden. It’s so satisfying and meaningful to enjoy what you grow!
Stay tuned for more garden recipes soon. :) For now, I’m heading outside to get my hands dirty!
