They are flowering now: pluck and preserve!
I stood and gave a standing ovation to Food in Jars the other day when I read the post she wrote about her Chive Blossom Vinegar. Every year I have more chive blossoms than I can use, but this year, I had a field of them (almost!). Callie came to pick up a couple of clumps and I still had too many to use. Not anymore!
Get out your jars people! It is chive flower season and if you have an overflow of these, this is the magic solution to use them all!
I put 75 blossoms in my jar. Fifty filled the jar, but after the white vinegar was poured over the top, I snuggled more than a few more in the jar without crushing any of the blossoms. below to the left is the jar with 50 blossoms, and to the right with 75 blossoms. I pushed them under the vinegar before putting the lid on.
They are so beautiful. I marvel at the miracle of so many aspects of nature: the tiny florets on each of these blossoms bursts with flavour and is a fantasy of beauty. Just one.
See the blossoms I still have left in the background above? You can more clearly see my nodding onion, below, in front of the chives now that Callie has given a home to the chives that used to hide it.
It has been one day, and the vinegar is already a gorgeous pink colour. I thought of adding sugar, but I can always do that later. I found my raspberry vinegar last year needed a considerable amount of sugar to balance the raspberry flavour. I am very curious to see how this will taste. I will be making more, and am convinced it will be next winter’s favourite treat!
Update three weeks later: look at the colour of the vinegar below!
The flowers have risen to the top! I strained the vinegar and stored it. You can find a yummy salad dressing recipe I made from it here. See the gorgeous colour of the strained vinegar beside the dressing below. Chive Flower Vinegar: your new Spring preserve!
It’s at times like this that I wish I still had may gardens!
Hi Valerie, this is beautiful. I haven’t been blogging for a while although I have called in a many times to visit your lovely blog. Lovely to see all that you do.
I have a few garlic blossoms-not chives. I am amazed that we can infuse a mild flavor with these blossoms. I have learned something new.
Your blossom jars are quite beautiful.
Velva
How intriguing. If I had some blossoms, I would be right there with ya.Your garden is beautiful too and want to see more of what you grow 🙂
This is so pretty! I’ve never heard of chive blossom vinegar… You have a lovely garden, too!
How beautiful and interesting! I am going to make sure we grow chives next year and see if we can get these blossoms as well!
The color is goregous!! can’t wait until winter to see what delish treats come from thi.
sweetlife
Those chive blossoms have the most amazing color! Sadly, I don’t think I have ever had them. I need to give them a try!
These chive blossoms are absolutely beautiful.
I’m going to try it…great idea!
Gorgeous blossoms!
Hi Valerie,
I’m trying to catch ip on my blog reading. Spending a lot more time with the kiddies these days. Anyways, look how beautiful something so simple can be. I love the vibrant purple that those chive flowers are giving off in that jar. I actually didn’t know you could make chive flower vinaigrette! How cool is that!? I’d definitely use that jar of chive flowers as display as well while they were soaking in the vinegar. Beautiful shots, dear. Thanks for another little piece of knowledge again.
This tart looks delicious! Very beautiful photograph.
The flowers look so pretty in the jars, I’d use them as a centerpiece!
Thanks again for sharing, you were so generous with the amount that I might even have to use this solution!
If the sun ever comes out, I’ll take some update pictures for you- they are doing well in my planters!
Hi, Callie (PR Callie)
Glad they survived the transplant and are thriving… and I have used them as centre pieces in the past – to not waste them – but this idea is so much better, I think – and you could probably use them as center pieces and then do this with them.
🙂
Valerie
Oh this makes me miss my garden!!! What a lovely idea, Valerie. The vinegar can’t help but be delicious, but in addition, the jars would look beautiful as floral decoration for your picnic table on Canada Day!
I’m curious – did you rinse the flowers first before adding the vinegar? How can you ensure there are no bugs in the heads?
Hi, Jo!
I didn’t rinse them… and can’t ensure that… but I did strain the vinegar through very fine cheese cloth – and found none… there still could have been some, but – we are not eating them!
🙂
Valerie
I am thrilled to see this post as I have chive flowers in my garden and I didn’t expect that. I can’t wait to try this. Who knew?
Exactly, Angela!
Wonderful to find so many incredible uses for the simplest and most flavourful (and gorgeous) garden plants.
🙂
Valerie
I have a small garden and would love to see your ideas on lavender, rosemary and other herbs!
Well, I will work to keep up with you, Betty!
Currently away on holiday, but love to use herbs for many many things.
If you go to my home page and use the search window you should see many uses for edible flowers and other herbs.
🙂
Valerie
Did you end up adding sugar to this for taste? I am so curious to see how this ended up tasting. I’ve never made my own vinegar before but the color of this is just too intriguing! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Hi Billy,
I did not, though should have. I added it to the dressings when using this vinegar to make dressings. It was a very very strong onion vinegar and lovely in salad dressings, but with a combination of other ingredients. It wasn’t like my tart cherry vinegar – that I do add sugar to, or my herbed vinegars – that can both be just added to a salad with olive oil, salt and pepper. This one needed a little tempering to soften the strength of the onion on the palate.
🙂
Valerie
Loving this how wonderful 🙂
🙂
Hello! What an amazing idea, but what do you do with the vinegar?
I use it in salads – there is a recipe for using it on the site.
🙂
V
I’ve got loads of garlic chives in my garden. Have no idea where they came from and the do multiply like rabbits. Give bunches away every summer just to keep them under control and not be over run. Now I have a great recipe for the blossoms. I use the garlic chives when I make garlic butter. I get to enjoy that for a good part of the year since I freeze a lot of small containers of it. Thanks for sharing.
Looking forward to hearing how you enjoy your vinegar. Best fresh – and pretty as gifts!
🙂
Valerie