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HERBED VINEGARS

By adding herbs to vinegar you can give extra flavor to any stew, vegetable dish, sauce, or soup that normally calls for vinegar in the recipe. Basil vinegar gives a morning glass of tomato juice a little zest, tarragon vinegar can be added to a pot of beans, and mint vinegar is a compatible seasoning for lamb chops and ham-to cite just a few of the many possibilities. Try a combination of seasoned vinegars such as garlic and tarragon, onion and basil, or garlic and marjoram in French dressing.

Herbed vinegars are easy to make, and you can use either fresh or dried herbs in their preparation. Put 1/2 cup of slightly crushed fresh leaves of the herb you choose (or 1 tablespoon if the herb is dried) into a jar with 2 cups of white, cider, or wine vinegar. (This will give you about 2 cups of herbed vinegar.) Let it stand for about 4 days; then strain the liquid, discarding the herbs, and bring the vinegar to a boil. Remove the vinegar from heat and pour it into hot, sterilized jars. Cap them tightly and store in a cool, dark shelf or cupboard. The vinegars are best used within six weeks.

If you plan to use the vinegars as gifts and want them to look attractive, you might want to place a whole sprig of the herb into the bottle before you cap it.

CANDIED FLOWERS AND LEAVES

The leaves and flowers of many herbs can be candied or crystallized into delicate, sweet, sugar-crisp decorations just like the French confections sold in specialty stores. Candied violet blossoms, for example, can be pretty toppings for fancy desserts and ice cream; crystallized sweetheart roses can be used to decorate special occasion cakes or frosted petits fours-or they can float in champagne and other sparkling beverages. Other herb flowers and leaves such as mint and the blue, star-shaped borage blossoms can be used as similar decorations.

Always pick fresh leaves and new buds as soon as they open. The only special ingredient you'll need is gum arabic powder, available at most drug stores. (Ask the pharmacist-he usually can order it for you if he doesn't have it in stock.)

How to Crystallize Flowers and Leaves

In the top part of a double boiler, combine 2 ounces (512 tablespoons) of gum arabic powder with 1 cup of water. Place the mixture over boiling water, and stir until the gum arabic is dissolved. Let this cool to room temperature.

Wash the blossoms or leaves (start with about 2 dozen) with a gentle spray of water. Trim the stems near the base of the buds and leaves and stick a toothpick into the bud as a replacement. Allow the blossoms or leaves to drain thoroughly.

Dip one blossom or leaf at a time into the cooled gum arabic solution to coat all surfaces. Stick the end of the toothpick into a base of styrofoam or clay to hold the blossom upright, then let each one dry thoroughly for about 112 hours. The finished blossoms will be tissue-like and brittle, so handle them carefully.

Prepare colored sugar by adding about 8 drops of food coloring (to make the sugar the color of the blossoms or leaves you are using) to one cup of sugar. Stir until the color is distributed throughout the sugar. Pour onto waxed paper and let stand 1 hour.

Combine 2 cups of sugar, one cup of water, and 2 tablespoons white corn syrup in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (234 degrees on a candy thermometer). Stir in a few drops of food coloring to make the syrup the same color as the colored sugar. Cool the syrup until you can hold your hand on the bottom of the pan comfortably. (If the syrup is too hot, the petals and leaves will turn brown after dipping.)

Dip the blossoms or leaves into the cooled syrup one at a time, making sure that each petal is coated. Allow excess syrup to drain from blossoms, then roll them in colored sugar. Again, stick the toothpicks that hold the flowers into a styrofoam or clay base to allow the coating to dry partially-about 15 minutes. When all blossoms have been dipped and sugar-coated, sprinkle the remaining colored sugar into a shallow pan that has been lined with waxed paper. Carefully remove blossoms from their toothpicks and place them on the sugar; allow them to dry there thoroughly for 8 hours or longer. Finally, inspect each blossom to be sure it is completely dry, then store them in airtight containers until you are ready to use them.

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