Every summer I harvest herbs, carefully sanitize bottles, and create herbed vinegars. After a "resting period" in a cool, dark cupboard they are ready for our use or as gifts to family and friends.
While I have used both red and white wine vinegars with a variety of herbal combinations, my favorite base remains apple cider vinegar which offers a distinct, sharp taste. I just emptied the last bottle of apple cider vinegar with thyme and black peppercorns from 2005 making dressing and will need to replenish my larder. With the hot weather, more hours sun since we took down the apple tree, and plenty of water, I have lush green crops of thyme, tarragon, oregano, and three varieties of basil.
Our vegetable garden is one of the best in memory --- we have a bumper crop of peppers coming on four plants, a steady supply of lettuce which is still producing since Richard put in multiple plantings, and a small but delicious crop of green (bush) beans.
Before the end of today, we plan to harvest the rest of the beans, try for a fall crop, as well as dig up the garlic for drying. While it takes time and work, the rewards of a garden (even one as small as ours) are delicious.
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