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Epicurious

Lilac Vinegar

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Jar of lilac vinegar recipe with lilacs resting on a table.
Photo by Carmen Troesser

Because of their evocative scent, lilacs might be the first flower I fell in love with as a wee girl. As an adult I planted one near a window in each of our yards, wherever we lived. At our home now, a previously planted hedge of them fills the yard. This flower and its scent bring me comfort and so does the lemony floral vinegar it makes.

This lilac vinegar is simply a homemade apple cider vinegar that has been fermented with the wild yeasts on lilacs. The lilac essence comes through with a sweet floral scent that lingers just above the acidity. The resultant vinegar has a delicate floral quality again within the acidity.

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