MAKE YOUR OWN: BLACKBERRY VINEGAR

Arguably one of the most ubiquitously foraged foods in the UK (who amongst us hasn't come home with a bag load at some point in our life), blackberries are easy to identify and are plentiful, so it's really easy to grab yourself a handful.

If you've got a real glut on your hands, blackberry vinegar is your solution. It's really simple to make, and you'll get yourself a perfect blend of tangy and sweet syrupy vinegar that can last you right through to the next time blackberries are ripening again.

This recipe is a family favourite and literally over 100 years old, a true case of 'if it ain't broke'. It's really easily scalable, so 

Ingredients

Blackberries

Cider Vinegar

Sugar

Water

Method

Gather your blackberries and weigh them, you'll then need the same amount of cider vinegar. Steep the blackberries in the vinegar in a large bowl for a week. After a week, strain the fruit out through a cheesecloth, saving the vinegar. For every 500ml of vinegar, add 300g of sugar and 250ml of water and bring them all to boil in a saucepan, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Let it cool and pour into sterilised glass bottles for storage. It keeps for months so makes a great gift too. Here's some of our favourite ways to use it:

- Mix it with some good extra virgin olive oil (especially good with a tangy goat's cheese or some roasted root veg)

- Have it over fruit and yoghurt with a bit of honey

- Try it on a yorkshire pudding or stack of pancakes (trust me, mind-blowing)

- Use like a cordial with hot water and a teaspoon of honey for the ultimate sore throat remedy.