Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar

First, my story. I didn't really MEAN to make vinegar ... but it happened. I MEANT to make a sparkly probiotic apple soda, so I added a ginger culture to apple cider ... and then forgot about it ... for a long time. So it turned into vinegar! And boy, it was the most amazing tasting vinegar!

My "mother" sank and settled in with the dregs, but she's still doing fine.

Since then, I have made (on purpose!) ACV (apple cider vinegar) one other time. This seems to make me an expert as everybody asks me how I make it! Here are my amateur directions.

1. Start with apple cider.
Some people say you can make vinegar out of apple slices, or apple peels, but I don't believe your vinegar will be as potent these ways.
Make sure the cider that you start with is unpasteurized. Please. Dead cider is not going to turn into live vinegar.
The better quality apple cider you start with, the better quality your vinegar will turn out to be.

2. Add some ACV "with the mother" to your cider.
Some people suggest letting the cider ferment for a couple weeks before adding the vinegar, but there's always a chance you could get some strange bacteria growing in there. Best to add the vinegar straight off so you know what's "growing" in there.
"With the mother" is extremely important. You won't end up with vinegar if you start with cheap ACV from your local grocery store. You can get the good stuff from a health food store and make sure the bottle says "with the mother".
How much should you add? Well...that's a good question but I don't have a good answer. You don't need too much, just enough to give fermentation a nudge in the right direction. I'm going to suggest maybe 1/2 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of cider. Swirl the ACV up nice to get some of the dregs from the bottom.

3. Let it set. Be patient.
Do not brew in a plastic container. I suggest stainless steel (I use my stockpot) or glass.
Your brew may get very, very bubbly at first, so allow some head-space.
Cover your brew with a dishcloth or cheesecloth to let air flow and keep fruit flies out (and believe me they love ACV)
You should eventually get a nice "Mother" floating on the top of your brew. Handle her gently and don't stir her in. She will give you many more batches of vinegar if you take care of her! Don't be scared if she floats to the bottom, another one will probably form on the top.

4. Keep checking
It will probably be a couple months before it's completely done. Like I said, be patient! It's worth it!
After it's finished, put a lid on it. Be careful of metal lids like canning jar lids, they will corrode if the vinegar touches them.

Any questions? Leave me a comment!

Blueberry Pie with Walnut Crust

My husband has been begging for blueberry pie for nearly a week now, and I finally got around to making it! Right now he is not eating starches, so I couldn't even make a gluten free pie crust with alternate flours. I decided to try a walnut crust, and it turned out fantastic! 

Ground walnuts, sugar, and butter

Chia seeds soaking in lemon juice

Blueberries with cinnamon, lemon juice, and ground chia seeds ready to go in the pie crust

Ready to go in the oven!

Hot and bubbling 

What is hot blueberry pie without ice cream?

Blueberry Pie with Walnut Crust

Bottom Crust: 

3 cups walnuts

2 T. sugar

3 T. softened butter

Grind the walnuts and sugar until fine in a blender, then mash in the butter in a separate bowl. Press into the bottom of a pie pan and freeze for 30 minutes.

Filling:

2 T. chia seeds

Juice of 1 lemon

2 T. water

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

5 cups blueberries

Pre-soak the chia seeds in the lemon juice and water for at least 40 minutes, preferably longer. Pulse the chia seeds, lemon juice, and water in the blender until it starts looking smooth. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a medium size bowl and let sit until the pie crust is ready. 

Top Crust:

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1 T. sugar

1 1/2 T. softened butter. 

Prepare the walnuts, sugar, and butter the same way you did with the bottom crust and mix until crumbly. 

Assemble the pie:

Pour all the filling into the pie crust, then sprinkle the crumbly top crust to cover the pie. 

Bake the pie in a 350 degrees F. oven for 45-60 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy and the pie is bubbling. 

As you see from my pictures above, the pie turned out more like a cobbler, but the longer you let the chia seeds soak, the better they will gell up. Try letting them soak overnight in water if you like, then add the lemon juice the next day.