Rose infused vinegar

So I'm going to bore you to death with another infusion post! This one is a fantastic rose infused vinegar. Among herbalists, rose is considered to have a cooling effect and calms inflammation. However it has many other properties, being anti-viral, aromatic, cardiotonic and hepatic. It promotes bile flow and is a decongestant and protective of the liver and is great for calming allergies.

All I know is that there is definitely a calming effect when I smell this basket of roses just picked from my garden! Even looking at it makes me happy!

To make a rose infused vinegar fill a one pint jar full with fresh rose petals (or half way with dried) and fill to the top with a good quality organic apple cider vinegar. Place a small sheet of waxed paper on top of the jar before sealing because the vinegar will eat away at the metal top of the lid.
Set on your counter and let steep for six weeks.

A cloth can be soaked in this mixture (dilute to 1 part vinegar to about 7-10 parts water) and can be placed on the forehead for tension or heat induced headaches, wrapped around a sprained ankle, or used to wash itchy bug bites and heat rashes. It excels at pulling heat from an inflamed area in a very short time. It is especially powerful at rapidly quenching the redness and pain from a sunburn in no time flat.

We'll start using ours with a little olive oil, salt and pepper mixed into a dressing for salads over the winter.

And just look at that beautiful blush color!
It had turned that way by the end of the first day.