Flower vinegars

Flavoured vinegars have long been part of the cook’s repertoire, especially in the countryside with easy access to a wealth of herbs and wild flowers. Flower vinegars are excellent as a dressing for delicate salad leaves, and also warm salads of fish or chicken. You can also use them in mayonnaise and hollandaise. If you are making fruit chutneys, consider using a flower vinegar, perhaps rose vinegar for a fig chutney, elderflower vinegar in a gooseberry chutney and lavender vinegar in an apple chutney. Sweet cucumber pickles are very good done in an elderflower vinegar, as are pickled herrings or salmon.