After a tiring morning of chewing fallen crab-apples and chasing fuzzy bees around the lawn, an exhausted Rosie (puppy) climbed up onto my lap as I sat on the garden bench and fell asleep in my arms, cradled like a baby. She looked so beautifully serene and felt so wonderfully soft all I could do was gaze at her lovingly and wonder how I would ever manage to let her go home next week. The sun was shining (for what seems like the first time this summer), my garden was growing and I was feeling amazingly content. As I was blissfully gazing down at my slumbering, golden spaniel she slowly opened her eyes. Looking up at me, she blinked a little, stretched out her furry wee legs and then bit me hard on the nose.
Little bugger.
With a swollen nose-tip I headed in doors muttering furiously and followed by an annoyingly jaunty puppy. No way she was getting any of my raspberry vinegar. No way she would want it either, but that was not the point!
When I first decided to make raspberry vinegar I expected the colour to be intense but for the fruity flavour to be subtle. In fact, both the colour and the raspberry flavour are pronounced. Not entirely sure what I’ll be using this for other than dressing green salads but I am extremely glad I made it.
Raspberry Vinegar
250 ml vinegar
2 punnets of raspberries (i.e. quite a lot)
Peel of half a lemon
A big jar
- Pour the vinegar into a jar. Add lots of raspberries and the lemon peel.
- Use a spoon to crush up the berries. Leave for two days, shaking occasionally (not sure this is necessary but it’s fun).
- Remove raspberries with a slotted spoon and add more.
- Again use a spoon to crush the berries and leave for 3 days.
- Pour berry liquid through a sieve (or strain through muslin or cheesecloth a couple of time if you want a clear vinegar – I liked the cloudiness).
- Store in an air tight container (e.g. jar, bottle).
This should keep for up to a year. The strained version definitely will. Wondering if the sediment in my preferred cloudy version will affect the shelf life? Any ideas?
P.S. Just discovered how difficult photographing glass is!
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
That vinegar looks exceptionally good and the photo is wonderful. I love all the puppy shots. They’re absolutely adorable!
Sorry to hear you had a nose-incident! She’s so cute, though, that I bet it was hard to stay angry for long 🙂 What a great idea to make your own raspberry vinegar. It’s something I’ve never tried before. Let us know if you think of something else creative to do with it other than dress green salads (which sounds lovely in and of itself).
I wonder if I could use bramble berries?!? I have so many right now… and I can even reach some. Just had a big bowlful for lunch…
Raspberry Vinegar looks delicious. Puppies are experts at being cute and hazardous at the same time. p.s. Like the bottle!
This looks wonderful! Very beautiful photo! I hope your nose is feeling better! I am sure you will forgive Rosie soon enough!
Truffle – Welcome back! And thank you. 🙂
Brianna – Wasn’t really annoyed at all! 🙂 Just couldn’t be! Will let you know about the vinegar uses
KatieZ – Absolutely positive brambles would work well too. Shocked you have brambles already! They don’t arrive here until September/October.
Gen – Thought you might recognise the bottle! And you know ALL to well about puppies being rascals.
Jenn – Thank you! It took all of 0.5 seconds to forgive her really. 😉
That photo is sooooo adorable! Aww :)!
Try drizzling the vinegar on ice cream. That may sound weird, but it will be like drizzling that expensive balsamic vinegar on ice-cream & strawberries.
Rosie looks cute, even if she did bite your nose. 😉
p/s: yes, photographing glass is damn hard! I think you did a great job.
Glass is hard to get right, but your photo is gorgeous Wendy.
Raspberry vinegar – how fabulous! Your own raspberries (or those neighbours…) must make for something quite special. Nora’s idea sounds lovely. Must have a think about how to use it.
Your description of cradling Rosie…know just how you feel 😉
Amy – Have spent so much time admiring the nose I had to capture it!
Nora B – Nice idea! And thank you!
Lucy – Thank you. 🙂 The home-grown (ahem) rasps have made it special – in taste and otherwise. Am definitely going to try Nora’s suggestion. Let me know if you think of anything though!
The photos of your puppy is so cute. And the Raspberry Vinegar , what a great idea! I have saved it for summer!
The looks so pretty! What will you be using it for or with?
Cute photo! Hope your nose is healing well… Our kitty did something similar to me once!
Oh “no”se! I hope you’re all better now. What an adorable doggie. I followed your link from my friend’s blog Mountain Meadows. Your blog is awesome and your photos exquisite. I’m sure your recipes are wonderful too and I’m off now to take a further look at them. xoxo
Oi, is the first time that I am passing for its blog, and already liked very! Until soon.
Your Rosie stories are a hoot! Hope your nose is doing AOK!
The vinegar looks wonderful. I was just trying to think of another use besides salads, I will ponder that one! What side of the fence are those berries from?!!!
Yes photographing glass is tough. I have the darndest time shooting the photos of the wine bottles. No matter where I go it seems I get a glare from some light source. And you never want to shoot it with a flash! Oh my!
lol. cute rosie. that is the exact colour of my bridesmaid dress.
🙂
Anh – Hope you enjoy it!
Holler – Thanks. I’ll be using it mostly in salad dressings (e.g. had it mixed with olive oil and pepper on some spinach leaves and olives) and I’ll be trying it with strawberries too. Not sure how that’s going to go!
Joe – Ahhh, then you understand! 😉 Welcome!
Betty-Jo – Welcome! And thank you for your kind words. 🙂
Heidi – Thank you and welcome to you too!
Deb – Berries are pilfered yet again… Your wine photos are always immaculate! Even more impressed now.
Mainyacha – 🙂 Imagine the dress is lovely!
What a cheeky puppy! It serves her right no vinegar! And what beautiful vinegar it is. I’m sure it could be lovely if you drizzled a few drops into a bowl of soup. I know I sometimes do that with sherry vinegar, so it might be worth a shot – though I’m not sure what sort of soup you’d do it to…
Figs Olives Wine – Nice idea. Have to think about that one..
Interesting vinegar 🙂 Very cute puppy. She’s such a doll.
Cooking Ninja – Yes, she is!
the colour looks fantastic – I bought raspberry vinegar about 6 months ago and it is great for salads and I have seen a recipe for a marinade (with soy sauce, sesame oil and maple syrup) that I keep meaning to try for roast or boiled veggies.
Love the pics of the puppy and the raspberry vinegar looks and sounds superb! I used to have a golden cocker spaniel when I was a little girl. He was beautiful!