GARLIC - POWERFUL for the GUT - Antibacterial, Disease Preventer

Garlic has many health benefits, but one of the most unusual is that it’s one of the few foods considered to be a prebiotic—the food eaten by probiotics (the healthful bacteria in our digestive tracts).  By supporting these beneficial bacteria, garlic helps support the many health benefits of a healthy microbiome (our population of beneficial bacteria).  

Current research shows that good bacteria in the gut helps prevent chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, as well as ward off mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.  Garlic is very high in inulin, a type of fructan beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifido and Lactobacilli like to consume. Up to 16% of a garlic clove is inulin, so when consuming garlic, you’re getting a great dose of both the anti-bacterial compounds and prebiotic effect at the same time.

Garlic also appears to help lower high blood pressure. A 2015 analysis found garlic is a safe and effective treatment for hypertension.  It’s also effective for lowering cholesterol, according to a 2013 meta-analysis.  In addition, garlic has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and some evidence suggests it may decrease the risk of certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.   Garlic also is an antibacterial super food ! 

GARLIC OXYMEL SYRUP
Good for when the virus season hits. A great cold, cough and sore throat remedy  You won’t have to resort to immune-suppressing, artificial-flavouring laden, over-the-counter medication.

Ingredients

• 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3 T. fresh ginger, grated
• 1 heaped t. fennel seeds (optional)
• 1 heaped t. caraway seeds (optional)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup of a good quality raw (unheated) honey

Method
Gently warm the seeds (if using) in the vinegar without boiling for a few minutes.
Place the garlic and ginger in a glass jar with a plastic lid. Do not use a metal lid as the vinegar will corrode it.

• Pour the vinegar and seeds into the jar. Replace the lid and shake to stir.
• Shake the mixture 1-2 daily for 1-2 weeks.
• After 2 weeks, strain all the herbs using a cheesecloth.
• Add the honey and mix well.
• Place in a clean jar and replace the lid. Add a label with date and name of preparation.
• Store in a dark cupboard or a dark amber glass jar until needed.

For colds, coughs, sore-throats and flu-like symptoms take:
Adults: 1 tsp every 1-3 hours depending on severity of symptoms.
Children: 1/2 tsp every 2 hours.

When cooking with garlic, after you mince or press garlic, let it rest about 10 minutes before cooking.  Crushing releases the enzyme alliinase, which then produces allicin.  Alliinase is heat sensitive and is lost in the cooking process, so if you chop then fry your garlic straight away you won’t get any allicin and therefore no health benefits. The health benefits in garlic come from a chemical reaction that happens once garlic is crushed or pressed, and you need to allow time for that to happen.

OUR MICROBIOME - the "FORGOTTEN" ORGAN - creator of TRUE HEALTH

WHOLE PLANT EATING?  What do you know about the human microbiome, the 100 trillion microbes that inhabit our bodies, creatures that happen to be key to our health and wellbeing?  This topic has flooded the scientific literature and popular media for quite a few years - and it wakens us to our symbiotic relationship with some of the smallest creatures on this planet - - creatures we house in our own bodies.

There are multi-dimensional ways a whole food, plant-based diet helps prevent and reverse most of the chronic diseases experienced in Western societies today, such as heart disease, diabetes, strokes, cancer, kidney disease, and osteoporosis.  In fact, a whole food, plant-based diet can also help prevent (and possibly help reverse) many more of the chronic diseases that have skyrocketed in recent decades, including allergies, food intolerances, gastrointestinal disorders, and the long list of devastating autoimmune diseases (such as Crohn’s disease, type I diabetes, eczema, Grave’s, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, MS, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis).

The Threat to our Microbiome

By changing our diets, we can change our microbiome. This is important because our Western lifestyle is seriously threatening the number, type, and diversity of microbes in our body. Considering that our microbes are a key link in everything from our digestion, to our metabolism, to our immune system, to our central nervous system . . . threats to the health of our microbiome affects every part of our biology.  Obviously, we can’t afford to stand idly by while it is under threat.

Many of the types of useful microbes that used to inhabit the bodies of our ancestors no longer inhabit our bodies. In other words, we are losing part of a precious heritage handed down to us from generations of those who have gone before us. What will be the long-term consequence of such a loss? We are becoming aware of the unintended consequences of losing whole populations of creatures and plant life out in the wild, but what about the unintended consequences of losing whole populations inside our bodies? What will the consequences be for our children who will inherit our diminished microbiome? And what about their children?

The symbiotic relationship we have developed with these creatures has existed from the beginning of humankind. We are so dependent on these little bugs that our bodies can no longer perform many of the functions we have delegated to them. These microbes are as important to our body as our liver, pancreas, thyroid, and other organs. In fact, some researchers are calling the microbiome the “forgotten organ.” In other words, it is not optional appendage that we can neglect without consequence.

As our microbiome is threatened, chaos ensues in our body. If this were irreversible, we’d all be in deep trouble! Fortunately, just as diet and lifestyle can put these microbes at risk, so diet and lifestyle can re-establish their health and vitality.

In one study, 20 rural South Africans were put on a high-fat, high-meat diet (including hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries).  At the same time, 20 African-Americans on put on a high fiber African diet with lots of corn porridge, beans, and fruit. According to the research— Changes occurred quickly. Inflammation of the colon, which increases the risk of cancer, decreased in the African-Americans on the African diet; and it increased in the Africans on the American diet. Production of the fermentation by-product butyrate, thought to prevent colon cancer, increased in those eating African fare, and declined in those eating American-style.

So while the South Africans on a fiber-poor, meat- and fat-fed microbiome, experienced threats to their microbiomes, the African Americans on a healthy fiber rich diet actually began to reverse the decades of dysbiosis in their bodies!  This is the good news!  Now, the bad news.

When Temporary Losses May Become Permanent

The obvious bad news is that we see little evidence of widespread change to rescue the imperiled state of our microbiome. In fact, what we see is continuing widespread popularity of Atkins, Paleo, Ketogenic, and other low-carb fads that promote diets that are the exact opposite of what will nurture a healthy microbiome. 

When we pass through the birth canal, we are slathered in our mother’s microbes, a kind of starter culture for our own community. In this case, though, pups born to mice on American-type diets—no fiber, lots of sugar—failed to acquire the full endowment of their mothers’ microbes. Entire groups of bacteria were lost during transmission. When . . . these second-generation mice [were put] on a fiber-rich diet, their microbes failed to recover. The mice couldn’t regrow what they’d never inherited. And when these second-generation animals went on a fiber-less diet in turn, their offspring inherited even fewer microbes. The microbial die-outs compounded across generations.

. . . what this experiment suggests is that by failing to adequately nourish key microbes, the Western diet may also be starving them out of existence.

It is one thing to know that we in the Western world are losing the microbial heritage we received from our ancestors, it is another to realize that we may be giving our children a permanently diminished heritage. If this continues, the children of this generation may never be able to recover the microbiome that protected their ancestors against many of the destructive, life-threatening diseases we are experiencing today. The types of diseases linked to an unhealthy microbiome are, in many cases, devastating diseases that can begin in childhood and cause confusion and chaos throughout a person’s life.

There are many threats to our microbiome, including how we were born, what we were fed as infants, over-sanitization of our bodies and living environments, and widespread use of drugs and chemicals (especially antibiotics).   Some of these factors we can’t change now, but others we can do something about it.

For Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), this topic is especially compelling.  The diet needed for a healthy microbiome is the same whole food, plant-based diet that the Jesus Christ revealed to Joseph Smith in 1833, long before the scientific world knew anything about the human microbiome!  The health code in the "Word of Wisdom" found in Doctrine and Covenants section 89 (D&C 89) teaches to eat plant foods in times of their season.  Jesus Christ teaches that He ordained wholesome (“whole”) plant foods for our “constitution, nature, and use,” with grains ordained as “the staff of life”.  Meat is ordained to be used “sparingly” and preferable only in times of need. This is the very definition of a whole food, plant-based high fiber diet that can help our healthy bacteria to thrive.  https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89?lang=eng

 

Our Low Fiber Diet Can’t Support a Healthy Microbiome

The healthy gut bacteria in our bodies thrive only on dietary fiber, and dietary fiber is only found in whole plant foods. It is completely absent from animal foods and is the first thing that is tossed out when foods are refined. So the typical Western diet, high in animal foods and processed foods, is the very definition of a low fiber diet.

The two most dramatic changes to our diets in the last 200 years is the transition from whole foods to processed foods and from plant foods to animal foods. Why this change? Basically, we humans love rich foods that are easily digestible. This has led to a dramatic decrease in the amount of fiber we consume.

Since 1970, our overall consumption of grain has risen, but the vast majority is refined grains. Likewise, our consumption of fruits and vegetables has risen somewhat, but most of it is processed, and we are still getting far less than the already relatively low target set by the U.S.D.A. What else has risen? Foods that are not healthful to our microbiome and harmful to human health: added sugars, added fats, and animal foods of all kinds (meat, dairy, and eggs).

Our distant ancestors likely consumed between 100–200 grams of fiber a day.   That may well be the optimal nourishment for a healthy microbiome, yet compare that with the average American diet of a paltry 16 grams a day.   No wonder we have seen skyrocketing rates of disease related to a diminished microbiome!

How many people do you know are concerned enough about their microbiome to make sure they get enough fiber in the foods they eat every day? If the people you know resemble the average person in America, they are paying relatively little attention to the amount of fiber in their diet and yet quite a lot of attention to the amount of protein. Everyone in America, it seems, is concerned about “getting enough protein”! The irony is that nearly everyone (this include vegetarians and vegans) are getting more protein than their bodies can actually use. At the same time, nearly everyone (except vegans) are consuming far less fiber than even the inadequate amounts recommended by the USDA. (For details, see this video on protein and fiber.)

The Lord teaches in the Word of Wisdom that this eating and health code is “the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days” (D&C 89:2) and that it was given in “consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days”. Those who keep these saying are promised they’ll run and not be weary, find hidden treasures, and “the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them” (D&C 89:21).

If we take the Lord at His word and fully embrace His wisdom we will receive these promised blessings. Let us save our microbial heritage and teach our children to do the same. Let us safeguard our health and the health of our children that we may accomplish the mighty work we are called to perform in these the last days!

Links for lists of high fiber foods  and “Getting Started on a Whole Food, Plant-based Word of Wisdom Diet.”

Eating whole foods is the least expensive way to eat!  It makes sense that the Lord’s diet is affordable for His children.  He designed a diet that even the poorest among us can use!  Grains are the cheapest source of calories on the planet!  Starchy vegetables, like potatoes and beans are a great source of nutrition and calories at a very low cost.  Buy fruits and vegetables in their season at the store, and they’ll be at their lowest price (they do not need to be organic to be good) - - but better yet, grow them yourself.

Adapted from "Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Let's Save Our Microbial Heritage" By Jane Birch  February 8, 2016, Meridian Magazine

TREATING COLDS and FLU with ESSENTIAL OILS

Buy salts, essential oils and Herbs at https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/#AID=117911

At the first sign of a cold, sore throat, flu (weak legs, aching body) get home as quickly as you are able and get into a hot bath with the following: 

Sea Salt Bath for Colds and Flu

2 cups Sea salt or Epsom salt
5 drops Ravensara essential oil
5 drops Rosemary essential oil
5 drops Tea Tree essential oil
5 drops Eucalyptus radiata essential oil
5 drops Lemon essential oil
Combine ingredients in a glass container. Fill bath with water as hot as you are able to handle.  Add Sea Salt blend, stir water, and stay in bath for as long as you are able (30 minutes).  When you get out, towel blot dry.  Put 2 drops of Ravensara and Eucalyptus on the bottoms of your feet and top with thick cotton or wool socks.  Go to bed immediately and pile on the blankets.  Drink plenty of Vitamin C (from any source), take garlic capsules (6 at a time, 4 times per day).  You will awaken well - when others around you are sick.  Enjoy!

Massage Oil for Colds

1 ounce Grapeseed oil (or your favorite carrier oil)
6 drops Rosemary essential oil
6 drops Ravensara essential oil
3 drops Ginger essential oil
5 drops Lemon essential oil
Mix ingredients in an amber dropper bottle or spray bottle.  Rub over chest, upper back, neck and shoulders. Apply morning and evening, or as needed.

Steam Inhalation (if you do not have a diffuser)

4 cups Water
4 drops Eucalyptus radiata essential oil
2 drop Rosemary essential oil
2 drops Lemon essential oil
Heat water. Remove from stove and add essential oils. Place a towel over your head and lean over steaming water. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Close your eyes to avoid irritation. 

Orange Essential Oil Extract for Cleaning - Make it at home!

Oranges are in high season here in Arizona (late November through March) - and even their peelings are amazing!  You can make your own Vitamin C from them, and your own cleaning products!

How to Make Orange Essential Oil Extract

You will need

Orange peels

Grain alcohol or cheap vodka*

Tray, cookie sheet, or towel

Knife or food processor (the food processor/chopper is easiest)

Fabric to strain with (clean old t-shirts, dish towels or coffee filters)

Two jars, one should have a tight fitting lid

 

Make it

1. Eat or juice a bunch of oranges, clementines, or mandarins - - and save the peels.
2. Lay the peels on the cookie sheet, tray or towel and let them air dry (do not put them in a dehydrator or you will lose the oil!) until the peels are rock hard - - about one week to dry.
3. Use the food process/chopper/knife to cut the dry peels into small bits. Do not over process the peels in the food processor/chopper until they are mushy or you will lose the oil in the peel.
4. Add the chopped peels to the jar with the tight fitting lid and cover the peels in grain alcohol or vodka. 

5. Put into a cabinet out of the sunlight.
6. Shake the jar to release the oil several times a day for several days. The longer you let the peels steep the more orange oil you will extract.

7. Use a coffee filter to strain liquid from the orange peels and into the second jar.
8. Place a clean cloth on top of the jar of liquid. Allow the alcohol to evaporate from the jar for one week.

9.  Pour Orange Extracted essential oil into an amber glass bottle and close lid tightly.  Dark bottles help store oils best.  Light and oxygen break down citrus oils.

10. If sediment collects in the bottom of bottle, strain again.

11.  Use this oil to make your household cleaners - - using a solution of  HALF VINEGAR, HALF WATER and a healthy squirt of DAWN DISH WASHING SOAP.

If you want to purchase ORANGE ESSENTIAL OIL (which is NOT an extract, but a pressed oil) go to:

 https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/#AID=117911

 

Leather furniture cleaner - Moisturize leather furniture with a mixture of  1⁄4 cup flax seed oil, 1⁄2 cup white vinegar and 1 to 2 drops orange essential oil. Place the ingredients in a glass jar with a lid. Cover and shake before using. Apply with a soft, clean cloth. Rub the mixture on one small area at a time and buff until the surface dries. 

 

Insect-repellent glass cleaner  Combine 2 cups white vinegar with 10 drops sweet orange essential oil in a labeled spray bottle. Use it to clean windows and mirrors.  Shake well before each use.

 

 

Almond Milk  Put a delicious zing in your almond milk by adding a few drops of orange oil. Soak 2⁄3 cup raw almonds and 4 soft dates (pitted) in 2 cups water overnight. Blend with 2 more cups water until smooth. Add 1 drop cinnamon essential oil and 4 drops orange essential oil, then pour through a mesh strainer or nut milk bag. Serve warm or chilled.



I have ARIZONA SWEETS available now!  Delicious, sweet and beautiful oranges!  They are picked and available for you!  $5 for a 5 gallon bucket.  Email me at botanicaleducation@gmail.com.  Queen Creek, Arizona
 

Anti Plague Herbal Syrup
(simple tincture recipe)

 Used to prevent illness as well as to overcome flu, virus, bacteria and parasites

 

Dry herbs that you will need:

 

2 oz Comfrey leaves 

1 oz each of the following 7 herbs: 

Lobelia, Marshmallow root, Mullein leaves, Skullcap, Uva ursi, White oak bark, Wormwood 

1/2 oz Black walnut hulls 

1/2 oz Black walnut leaves 

2 1/2 quarts Apple cider vinegar 

Combine dry herbs with vinegar. Store in glass canning jars in a cupboard (dark but not refrigerated) and shake once a day for at least two weeks.  After two weeks, strain pulp out and discard it. Save liquid to add to garlic tincture below.   

In another glass jar make the following tincture: 

1.5 pounds raw garlic cloves, peeled  

1 1/2 quarts raw apple cider vinegar 

In a blender, puree garlic with vinegar to make a thick soupy mixture. Store in glass container(s) and shake once a day for two weeks. Strain pulp out and discard it.

 

Combine both tinctures at the end of two weeks, adding in the vegetable glycerin and raw honey.  

3 cups vegetable glycerin 

3 cups raw honey 

 

Pour into clean jars and refrigerate for up to two years.  Dark amber bottles are best. 

For virus, flu, pneumonia, or to avoid catching them, at first sign of illness, shake well and take:

1 Tablespoon 3-4 times a day (Adult), 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day (child).

Not recommended for use during pregnancy or for children under 1 year because of anti-parasitic herbs (Wormwood/Black Walnut and honey.

To obtain organic, high quality herbs and glycerin from Mountain Rose Herbs purchase with this link: 

https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/#AID=117911

 

WET SOCK TREATMENT FOR IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOST

Do you need an immune boost?  Have you ever heard of the “wet sheet treatment” which has been used to save lives during pandemic outbreaks?  Well, here is a simple treatment that works on the same premise – and all you need is SOCKS!!!

The alternating of hot and cold creates a pumping mechanism that stimulates your circulation and lymphatics. The results are an active immune system and decreased congestion. Kids benefit from this hydrotherapy regimen too – as well as women with hot flashes!

Wet sock treatment instructions:

1. Just before bed, put your feet in hot water for at least 3 minutes. You can place them in the bath tub under running water. The water should be as hot as you can handle it without burning your skin.  Adding Epsom salt is great too!

2. Wet 1 pair of thin, cotton anklets in cold water. Wring out well and put on immediately after hot foot bath. The water should be as cold as you can handle it. (Remember, your feet are very warm so the cold will feel OK)

3. Put on 1 pair of heavy wool socks over the ankles and climb into bed.

4. Cover well and sleep all night with socks on.

5. By the morning, your socks should be completely dry – at which time you can remove socks.  (see more info below)

6. Stay away from dairy and sugar, take Vitamin C and drink plenty of water. Then notice how much more quickly you feel better when you use the wet sock treatment!

After putting on the socks, you'll climb into bed and drift off to sleep. While dreaming sweet dreams, your feet will be doing all the work. The vessels in your feet will constrict as your feet cool down, which sends all the good nutrients into your organs and tissues. These nutrients are needed to fight off infections and stimulate healing.  

Then your feet will start to warm up again, and your vessels will dilate to release the heat.  This is when the “junk” in your tissues is dumped into your blood stream so that your body can dispose of it.

YOU are telling your body to go on high alert and so it does!

The best time to do wet socks is:

• When you feel like you’re coming down with something

• When everyone around you is getting sick

• When your kids have earaches and fevers

• When you have hot flashes

• When you are exhausted and just need an awesome sleep

• When you know you’ve been pushing too hard and you can feel your body wearing down

• When your lungs or sinuses have been congested and you can’t seem to break it up

 

 Times not to do this:

• If you can’t make time for a full night’s sleep (you’ve got to give your body enough time to work on this).

• If you are taking prednisone, other steroids, or immune suppressing drugs because they will suppress your body’s response.

• If you try wet socks and wake up in the morning with the socks still wet – this means your body just isn’t generating enough heat right now to do this thing properly.  (Take Ginger, Turmeric and other warming herbs)

 

VINEGAR - How to Make it

Vinegar – Uses and how-to-make

Vinegar, a staple in every pantry, is a multi-tasking wonder with a rich history of use for everything from making pickles to treating war wounds. The ancient Babylonians used it to preserve food; medics during World War I treated wounds with it; and Roman armies diluted it with water to create an everyday antibacterial drink. Today, versatile vinegar is still widely used in food preservation, but its household uses extend well beyond pickling.  Thanks to its acidity and neutralizing properties, vinegar can clean, disinfect, soften, shine and more. Use it from the kitchen to the bathroom, in everything from homemade cleaners to hair rinses, to take full advantage of this humble household wonder.

1. Grease Cutter: Vinegar’s acidity lets it cut through grease with ease. Dip a sponge in vinegar and wipe to degrease stovetops, microwaves, dirty dishes and more.

2. Disinfectant: A natural antibacterial, vinegar makes a great base for any nontoxic cleaning solution. For an all-purpose disinfecting solution, dilute 1 part vinegar in 4 parts water and use anywhere germs are found, such as countertops, keyboards, shared phones, doorknobs and remote controls.

3. Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Clean, disinfect and deodorize your toilet by pouring 1 cup of vinegar around the inside of the bowl. Let sit for an hour, use a brush to remove rings, then flush.

4. Drain Cleaner: To keep drains clog-free, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then follow with 1/2 cup of vinegar. Wait for foaming to subside, then follow with a gallon of boiling water. If necessary, remove hair and other debris with a wire. Repeat if drain is still slow.

5. Glass Cleaner: For a streak-free shine, combine 2 cups water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. Spritz onto mirrors, then wipe down with old newspapers.

6. Residue Remover: Clean the glue residue that labels and stickers leave behind by wiping the sticky surface with a rag dipped in a vinegar-water solution.

7. Hair Rinse: Shampoos and other hair products can leave behind residue, making hair lackluster. Remove buildup by diluting 2 tablespoons vinegar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in 3 cups water and mixing well. After shampooing, pour rinse over hair before rinsing with water. The vinegar will close the cuticle and leave hair soft and shiny.

8. Furniture Polish: Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a spray bottle. Shake well before use, and refrigerate any leftover solution to keep it from going rancid.

9. Stain Remover: Purge grass stains and blood spots by whipping up your own natural stain remover. Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda and 3 cups water in a spray bottle. Just spray on the stain and toss clothing into the laundry!

10. Laundry Softener: Conventional fabric softener stays in clothing, where a buildup can cause irritation, but vinegar breaks down and dissolves detergents. For softer clothes, towels and sheets, just add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

11. Dandruff Preventive: Vinegar’s acidity can help kill some of the bacteria responsible for causing dandruff. Rinsing with vinegar can also deep-clean the scalp and help remove flakes of dead skin cells. For a no-dandruff rinse, mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried leaves) and 1 cup boiling water. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, strain, then pour over scalp after shampooing. Rinse treatment from hair with water.

12. Wart Killer: To remove unsightly warts, dip a cotton ball in vinegar, place over wart and secure with a bandage. Change the cotton ball daily. The acid in vinegar will eat away at the wart over time. (Be sure to keep the skin around the wart moisturized.)

13. Breath Freshener: Eliminate bad breath by rinsing with 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt diluted in 1 cup water. This rinse is especially effective at removing onion and garlic odors.

14. Paintbrush Softener: Make stiff paintbrushes useful again by dipping hardened bristles in a bowl of vinegar for an hour or less. Rinse the bristles with warm water and soap, then let dry before using.

15. Greens Reviver: Leafy greens looking wilted? Soak them in a bath of 2 cups cold water and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar to bring them back to life.

16. Egg Aid: When hard-boiling eggs, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water to prevent egg white from seeping out of cracks in the shell.

17. Rust Remover: Revive rusted nuts, bolts, nails or tools by soaking them in a bath of pure vinegar for several hours. If the solution becomes cloudy, change the vinegar. After soaking, wipe away rust with a cloth.

Buyer Beware - Not all vinegar is created equal. While all vinegars require ethanol for production, some vinegars are made with synthetically produced ethanol made from petroleum. Check the label before you buy for words like “grain alcohol” or “neutral grain spirits” to ensure you’re buying a product made from natural food sources.  Or, make your own vinegar!

HOW TO MAKE VINEGAR

There are many varieties of this homemade, tangy, fermented liquid; homemade vinegar can be just what you want it to be.  Choose a container made from glass or enameled earthenware.  You don't want the container material to react with the vinegar.  Aluminum, iron and plastic will ruin the vinegar.  If you are using glass, try to select a dark bottle. Fermentation occurs in the dark, so you either need a dark container or else need to keep the liquid in a dark place.

CIDER VINEGAR

Cider vinegar is made from sound, tart apples. Cut the apples into small pieces . . . skins, cores, stems and all. Make a mush - by hand or with an electric juicer and strain it through a muslin bag (you can also hand press the pulp in a potato ricer lined with cloth or use a juicer).

Pour the juice that is collected into clean (dark, glass jugs are preferable) and cover their tops with several thicknesses of cheesecloth, held in place with string or rubber bands. Let the brew work in a cool, dark place for about six months . . . then strain, bottle and cork.

TURNING APPLE CIDER INTO VINEGAR

If you don't want to bother with apples, just allow some sweet cider to stand in a warm place in an open jug for a few weeks. It will gradually turn to vinegar.

APPLE PEELING VINEGAR

Vinegar can also be made from apple wastes, should you be baking a lot of pies or canning peeled apples.  Put the peelings, cores and bruised fruit into a wide-mouthed jar or crock and cover with cold water. Store — covered — in a warm place and add fresh peelings, cores and bruised apples from time to time. When the batch tastes sufficiently strong . . . strain, bottle and cork.

Unless you ferment the vinegar for a very long time, there is probably alcohol still left in it, which you can remove by boiling.  While you're at it, you can pasteurize and reduce the vinegar, so that you can store it for longer and concentrate the flavors, respectively.

To achieve pasteurization, heat the vinegar to 170 degrees Fahrenheit (77 degrees Celsius) and hold it there for 10 minutes.  Crock Pots are perfect for holding food for a long time below the boiling point.  Use a thermometer to check your crock pot's temperature at each setting to determine which setting is closest to 170 degrees.

Unpasteurized vinegar can be stored in sterilized, capped jars in the refrigerator for a few months. Pasteurized vinegar can be stored in sterilized containers with tight-fitting lids at room temperature for more than a few months, as long as they are kept out of direct sunlight.

Bottle and store your delicious, homemade vinegar! Strain out the vinegar through cheesecloth or a coffee filter, separating the mother, which can be kept for making more vinegar. 

MOTHER OF VINEGAR

The substance that gradually thickens on top during this process is the "mother".  You can save it as starter for another batch (to speed up the process).

HERB VINEGARS
Once you have brewed up a few containers of apple cider vinegar you can use it as a base to add herbs into - to be infused.  These vinegars can be used for salad dressings, on meat, as dips, and can be used as medicine. Vinegar acts as an "extractor" to pull nutrients and flavors from the fresh herbs. 

Wash and strip basil, rosemary, tarragon, mint, dill and/or other herb leaves from the plant stems. Spread the leaves on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and dry them in the sun or a very low oven until they begin to curl. If that's too much trouble, just hang small bunches of herbs to dry in a warm, clean attic.

Dump one packed cupful of the dried herbs (mix and match  . . . try different combinations till you find your own special blend) into each pint of your experimental cider vinegar and pour into clear glass bottles or jars. Cover and let stand for two weeks in a sunny window. Shake the bottles once or twice a day and — when the liquid tastes sufficiently strong — strain, bottle and cap.

Herb vinegar can also be made with finely-chopped fresh chives, celery leaves or cloves of garlic (remove garlic after 24 hours).