fresh peach vinegar, a valentine's gift

A simple no-cook fresh white peach vinegar.

I had this post all written out. It was ready to go. And then... it went kaput. I shall spare you the details, but suffice to say, I was left with only a blank page, and even the geekiest things I tried couldn't bring it back.

I was devastated. All those hours of work... gone. All those words. My thoughts on Valentine's Day. An amusing story about my relationship with Simon. My take on peaches. My recipe for this no-cook fresh white peach vinegar, and my sentiments on the end product. Everything.

The one in front is a white peach, the one at the back is a yellow peach.

I thought of Simon. He, the cool, collected one. What would he say? I can imagine it so vividly. "There's nothing you can do now to change what happened," he would say. "You just have to forget about it and get on with what you have to do next."

So here I am, re-writing this post. And you know what? It's not that bad. This was not the post I intended to share with you all. This is a completely different story, with entirely different musings. I'm okay with that.

So here's my early Valentine's Day message to Simon.

Thank you for keeping me sane and calm, even though you are thousands of miles away in India right now, no doubt snapping away with your beloved camera and enjoying your new-found love of chai.

When you come back, I have this little vessel of sweet peach vinegar that I have created especially for you, to celebrate your appreciation of a good salad dressing. I hope you enjoy its gentle fragrance and subtle sensuality as much as I do.

I can't wait to see you again in a few days.

The pale, perfumed flesh of the white peach.

no-cook fresh peach vinegar

1 ripe peach, peeled, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup white wine vinegar

Blend peach pieces together with white wine vinegar. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes, then strain it through a fine sieve or muslin cloth. Store it in a sterilised bottle.
This peach vinegar should keep in the fridge for at least 3 months.

Notes:
I chose to use white-fleshed peaches for this peach vinegar recipe - they have a gorgeous ambrosial quality that I adore.
Use non-reactive containers (preferably glass or ceramic) when dealing with vinegar.
I sterilise my bottles by washing them thoroughly and then letting them sit in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.

Fresh peach vinegar, a valentine's gift.