Perry Vinegar

Sustenance

13 - 05 - 23

Slugging vinegar on the daily is not as fruity as it sounds. The benefits, we're beginning to realise, are giant, with the largest being that it boosts the immune system. It's the perfect time of year, then, to begin a little fermentation process to see you through the weeks of early winter.

In this recipe, sweet, ripe pears, loaded with antioxidants such as vitamin C and copper (both slayers of free radicals), are combined with the humble raisin, utilised for its hidden yeast buried in its shrunken skins. The resulting flavour is crisp and sweet, with enough of a bite to awaken your taste buds. We're swigging 1-2 tablespoons before meals or right before bedtime for maximum effect.

Ingredients

Juice from approximately 10 pears
5 raisins
Carried over raw vinegar [inc mother]
¼ cup raw sugar

Method

Make sure your pear peels are cleaned well. Juice pears and pour into a sterilised jar with airlock.

Add raisins - these will help kick start fermentation as they carry yeast in their outer grooves

Add a splash of apple cider vinegar and cover with airlock.

Leave to sit in a cool, dark area for 1-2 weeks. Once it’s nice and bubbly, remove the airlock, cover with a cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.

Again, let sit in a cool, dark place, this time for 1-2 months. Taste test brew at the 1 month mark — if it’s still sweet, let it keep fermenting. It’s done when it has some bite to it but still has a pear flavour.

Once ready, bottle and store in a cool dark place. Add to dressings, sautéd greens or make a quick pickled vege.

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