Stacie, Look for the book, "Herbal Pantry" by Emelie Tolley. It really is a terrific book (out of print though, search ebay) and she has tons of recipes for herbal vinegars, mustards, jellies, syrups, liqueurs, etc.

Here are some ideas for herb vinegar, but don't limit yourself to these - use what appeals to you: Herb Vinegars Fill pretty bottles with wine vinegar or cider vinegar, add a large sprig of herb, seal and leave on a sunny windowsill for about 2 weeks. Remove the herb and replace it with a fresh sprig. Use the vinegar as desired in cooking or for hair rinses etc. To make vinaigrette, add oil. Try some of the following combinations: Coriander leaf, garlic, and rice vinegar Borage, dill, shallots, and white wine vinegar Sage, parsley, shallots, and red wine vinegar Mint, honey, cardamom seed, and white vinegar Rosemary, raisins, orange peel, garlic, and white wine vinegar Chillies or capsicum, garlic, oregano, and cider vinegar Savory, chive blossom, and cider vinegar Dill, nasturtiums, garlic, and cider vinegar Fennel leaf, garlic, parsley, and white wine vinegar Rose petals, violet petals, and rice vinegar Tarragon and white wine vinegar Tarragon, rose petals and white wine vinegar Thyme and white wine vinegar Raspberry leaves and white wine vinegar Flower Vinegar Many different flowers may be used to make a vinegar that is delicious and delicately tinted. Roses, violets, primroses, nasturtiums, lavender, clover, elder flowers, rosemary, or thyme flowers are all good choices. Remove the stems and the green and white heels from the flowers or petals. If using large flowers, fill a wide-mouthed jar half or two-thirds full with the flowers, then pour either a good white wine vinegar or cider vinegar over the flowers to fill the jar, making sure the flowers are completely covered. The blossoms will sink to the bottom of the jar within a few days. When this occurs, you can add more flowers if you wish. Taste the vinegar regularly until it achieves the strength you want. Rebottle in clean, smaller bottles, adding fresh smaller food flowers to the liquid for decoration. If using small flowers, simply insert them into the bottle of vinegar without decanting it. A cup of flowers to 600ml of vinegar serves well. If possible, leave the jar or bottle of vinegar with the flowers added in the sun - it will help draw out the flavour of the blooms while they steep. Best if kept refrigerated. You could add this if you printed it out prettily: Uses for Herb Vinegars Basil Vinegar: Stir-fried vegetables; tomato salad; tomato soup; "overnight" pickles of marinated slices of carrot, cucumber, peppers, etc. Chives Vinegar: Whenever onion flavour is desired; egg salad; cooked broccoli or Brussels sprouts; marinades. Dill Vinegar: Cooked beetrrot or cabbage; three-bean salad; coleslaw; potato salad; poaching eggs or fish; cucumber salad. Garlic Vinegar: Green salads; vegetable salads; spinach; marinade for sauerbraten. Lemon Thyme Vinegar: Mayonnaise; fish and fish salads; stirfry vegetables. Mint Vinegar: Stir into mayonnaise or whipped cream for fruit salad; sauce for lamb; fruit gelatin; fruit punch. Nasturtium Vinegar: Whenever peppery flavour is desired; pickled eggs; meats before grilling; green bean salad. Oregano Vinegar: Scrambled eggs; salads; pizza Raspberry Vinegar: Spinach salad; baked pears or apples; hot chicken; meat marinade; add to yoghurt for fruit salad; add to soda or tonic water for a refreshing drink (1 tablespoon per glass). Rosemary Vinegar: Pork or lamb marinade; tomato and cucumber salad; orange and onion salad; fried potatoes; fruits. Tarragon or Winter Tarragon Vinegar: Chicken; crabmeat and tuna salads; vegetable juice cocktail; chicken gravy; hollandaise and bearnaise sauces; peas and;onions combined; green salads. Salad Burnet Vinegar: Cucumber flavor without indigestion; salads; clear or potato soup. Mixed Herb Vinegar: Crisp green salads; bean soup; cooked green beans. Consider herbal oils for external use only: Pack a jar with fresh herb and pour in enough olive oil to completely cover. Leave on a sunny window sill for 2-6 weeks. Strain liquid into another jar through a fine cloth or coffee filter, seal and label bottles. Use as a massage oil or add to creams and lotions. OR Heat about 280g dried herb or 840g fresh herb in about 700ml oil in a double boiler for 2-3 hours. Strain off the solid matter. Or for culinary use, try doing the oil this way. Use olive or canola oil for best results. Hot Infused Oil Place a ratio of 2 cups oil to 1 cup of dried herbs/ 2 cups fresh herbs, in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Slowly heat on low for approximately 3 hours, and strain into a bowl. Transfer liquid into dark bottles, cap, and place in a cool, dark place. Sniff it occasionally, and if it smells rancid, toss it out.

It was fun reading all of this, especially since it goes back to '06. That first post of Lars with the cherry cream soda...yummmy. I only consume coffee if it's ice cream, Kahlua or some other dessert. I like tea, black, green, but not any spiced teas. Really dislike mint too. Mostly I drink flavored unsweetened seltzer, iced tea or lemonade. Occasionally I'll have a fruit soda, but I find them too sweet these days so I mix them with my seltzer. Alcohol? Not really. Don't like wine as a rule. I can deal with a little champagne or Asti. Will drink vodka, that Kahlua making it a Black Russian. Smiles. I can go several years or more without having any alcohol. Last year I turned my current [at the time] vodka into vanilla. This fall an old friend from high school came to visit and brought a bottle of vodka. I had 2 light Cape Cods and when he left I turned the Svedka into vanilla. LOL. In winter in the evening we either have hot tea or hot cocoa often. I do love hot chocolate made with cocoa or even a nice chocolate bar.

Flowerpwr45: "Bloody Caesars"? What a neat name! Perhaps the reason he makes them like that is because they live so close to Canada: on Lake St.Clair between Detroit & Port Huron . . . which, of course, is just over the borders from Windsor and Sarnia, Ontario, respectively. He may have originally had one at a restaurant over there. Do you add dill pickle juice and a pickle spear to yours, too, or is that just my BIL's idea? We love it. As for Clamato Juice, we buy it in Michigan but they also sell it at many grocery stores here in New Mexico. Love it! Lynn