Holiday Gift Ideas: Infused Oils.

There are so many reasons to make your own holiday gifts.
Or buy them from local vendors and artisans.

First off you will spend less time in those horrible big box stores, fighting the crowds to buy useless merchandise from China. Don't get me started.
Secondly, my guess is most of the people on your list really don't need a lot more things to dust, return or regift to their in-laws ;-)
Thirdly it's fun.
Fourthly it's more personal.
Fifthly it's less expensive.

Everyone has to eat and it's so easy to personalize food gifts to accommodate any allergies or preferences.
And it doesn't need to take a lot of time.

Here's a simple one to start with: infused oils.
Even if you don't cook much, infused oils can be used in salad dressings or served with a crusty French bread. 

Every few days I will post another simple homemade food gift.
Next up, infused vinegars !!

Gift idea #6 Infused Vinegars and Oils

This is so simple it's almost embarrassing but people love these infused vinegars and oils.

This year I am making three different vinegars. I like to make fruit infused vinegars, they are light in flavor and make great salad dressings, the more common herb infused vinegars tend to a bit heavy or strong in flavor. You will notice that I don't put the fruit into the bottle, you can but it reduces the amount of vinegar and shortens the shelf life.

I find fun bottles online at Sunburst Bottles, local stores or use recycled ones, add a handmade label attached with raffia, voila, a great useful, easy and tasty gift !!


Cranberry Orange Vinegar

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh chopped cranberries
1 organic orange, sliced
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
4 cups of white wine vinegar

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stir and reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cooled. Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge until you want to give it as a gift.

Strawberry Pineapple Guava Vinegar
I used my frozen strawberries and my fresh pineapple guavas. You can use frozen fruit from the store and pair it with something else if you like. I used apple cider vinegar in this recipe for a slightly mellower taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 sliced pineapple guavas
3 cups apple cider vinegar

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stir, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cooled. Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge until you want to give it as a gift.

Boysenberry Balsamic Vinegar
My sister was kind enough to share the frozen boysenberries from her summer harvest.
Pairing them with the balsamic vinegar should be great. You can use blackberries, olallieberries or even blueberries in this recipe. I had great success using dried pears one time.

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen boysenberries
3 cups balsamic vinegar

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.
Bring to a boil,stir, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cooled. Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge until you want to give it as a gift.

Infused olive oils are just as easy. My sister  loves the one I make with garlic, rosemary and lemon. I love the lime infused oil on greens or in salad dressing.