Last week I watched my chive blossoms slowly open in the rain. They just didn't seem to want to come out.
This week with the heat, they have opened all the way up.
Earlier in the year I didn't think there would be enough of them. This plant was put in late in the fall. But it has grown quickly and put forth a lot of blossoms. Next year will be better.
But at least it was enough to make a tiny bit of chive blossom vinegar. I went out early this morning to pick them. I wanted to make some last year but with the move (which in a week will be a year ago), life was too hectic to think about it. This year I have plenty of time.
Later today I'll post the winner of the mushroom growing kit. And we can have the craziness of "OMG I WON! I WON!" But this morning is just too peaceful for that. Things are quiet and calm. The birds are singing. The heat hasn't hit yet. Time to sit back and drink some tea. Maybe reflect on how happy I am to be make some chive blossom vinegar and how sad I am that the flowers are gone from the garden.
I was wondering what I could do with all my blossoms.
ReplyDeleteMine are very full and plentiful also.
Chive blossom vinegar! Brilliant! I love it!! You're always inspiring me!
ReplyDeleteDaphne, will you use it on salads?
I have a bunch of chive blossoms coming on too. It is such a pretty and cheerful looking flower. It's hard to believe it's been a year already since you made the move. My how time flys by.
ReplyDeleteI planted my first chives of my lifetime a couple of weeks ago... can't wait!
ReplyDeleteDaphne tell me about this chive vinegar. I am always looking for new vinegars. I should make some tarragon vinegar. I have a pesky plant that is about to get ripped out.
ReplyDeletejohanna, Usually I just leave mine on the plant since I like to see them so much, but I really wanted some vinegar last year and didn't make any. So this year I had to pick all the blossoms.
ReplyDeleteToni, yes I used white balsamic as the base and it will make a lightly chivey tasting vinegar. And it is so pretty. It turns a pretty pinky-purple. Though it fades if you leave it out where you can see it. But the taste holds.
Laura, yup a whole year. And this year I have a yard. Whoot! I love having a yard. I hated last year with subsoil in the ground.
Carolyn, they are a very nice plant. They never die and just slowly spread. Garlic chives can be a pest, but not the common type.
wilderness. well this is chive blossom vinegar. So it turns a pretty pinky purple (and will stay that way if you keep it in the dark, but then you can't see it). It is so simple. Put your chive blossoms in the bottom of a jar with a wide mouth (don't use the final jar as you want to be able to remove them). Pour some kind of good white vinegar over them. Like white wine. I used white balsamic. Cover tightly. Let sit for a day to a week. Strain out the blossoms. It is pretty and tastes like chives. You can make it with chive leaves too, but the color isn't nearly as pretty then.
Thanks Daphne sounds pretty neat. It appears you have a gallon jug there and you just covered the blossoms with the vinegar. It that about the right ratio?
ReplyDeleteNo I don't have nearly that many blossoms. Just a tiny amount. And my mortar and pestle are small. That is a pint jar. And yes just cover them to the top.
ReplyDeleteYum! I just saw someone else, on their blog, also doing this! I am so intrigued and want to try it but yet so torn! I love to see the chive blossoms outside!!
ReplyDeleteI still haven't made mine, because I don't have any white vinegar! I might try it with cider vinegar, for flavor, but it won't be a pretty color. Or I could get off my butt and go to the store and get some white vinegar ;-) I have a ton of chive blossoms.
ReplyDeleteMine are blooming too! They're so beautiful! Never looked at them so closely! I will now, once it stops raining:)
ReplyDeleteSo lucky you are. I planted chive seed this year again. Nothing came up yet. Chive vinegar, very cool!
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of that vinegar- I must give it a try. Should be good as a salad-dressing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I never knew about chive blossom vinegar. I have just divide our chives clumps end summer this year and plant it in front of 2 veggie patch as a border. Hopefully they have many bloom next spring.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading in so many places about "seed saving", I decided to save the seeds from my chive plants this year. I ended up with about a half a teaspoon of seeds, which is a lot if it all germinates.
ReplyDeletePretty chive flowers, I should try to make the vinegar someday if there's any flowers coming.
ReplyDeleteAllison, it is hard to decide to pick all your chive blossoms. I figure some year I'll put another chive plant in the garden and then I can denude the one that is in an out of the way spot.
ReplyDeleteGranny, no white vinegar? lol I clean with white vinegar so I never say that. I have gallons downstairs (not of the nice white balsamic though). Yes you should stock up on at least some basic white vinegar since it will be pickling time before you know it.
RandomGardener, I always love those blossoms from plants that I grow for some other reason. Such a bonus.
Nancy, I'm still struggling with my black-eyed-susans. I do have a couple up finally (from seed sown in March). I really hope they survive.
Mark, I'm guessing it will make a really good salad dressing.
Diana, I once had a whole border of chives. Not that I needed that many, but nothing else would grow well there, so chives got the spot.
Veggie Pak, that would be a lot of chives. Good luck.
Mac, I hope you get lots of blooms.
I use cider vinegar for all my pickling. I just hate the flavor of white! The Mr. taste tested dill relish made with white and with cider last year, and declared cider far and above the best. He said the relish made with white tasted to strong and acidic. I do need to remember to look for white balsamic though. Oh, I do have white vinegar under my sink that I use (sometimes) for cleaning windows. I just never think to use it in my food! I am, by the way, steeping a jar of chive blossoms in cider vinegar. So far it's not an ugly color.
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