Switchel & Apple Cider Vinegar
Ainsley Thompson
![](https://www.cuisine.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Cuisine-Magazine-Recipe-Switchel-Apple-Cider-Vinegar-1.jpg)
tags:apple cider, vinegar, switchel
Serves
2 - 4Preparation
20 mins plus cooling time and fermenting timeIngredients
SWITCHEL | |
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, minced | |
1 litre water | |
1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar (see recipe) | |
2-3 tablespoons raw unpasteurised honey | |
1 teaspoon lemon juice (approx 1⁄2 lemon) | |
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR | |
apple scraps | |
1 tablespoon cane sugar | |
1 cup filtered or boiled and cooled water, plus extra if needed |
I love to collect apples and in autumn there are so many wild trees here – the heritage varieties are small and every tree, or sometimes every apple, looks and tastes different. So with an abundance of spray-free skins and cores I started to make apple cider vinegar. I found this drink in winter when I was making countless lemon-ginger-honeys for a stuffy nose and I love it. Now, even my toddler will drink it.
Instructions
1. | SWITCHEL |
2. | Boil the ginger with the water. |
3. | Let the mixture cool to room temperature (this evaporation process removes chlorination). |
4. | Add the apple cider vinegar and honey and leave out overnight on the counter, loosely covered with a tea towel or similar breathable material. |
5. | Strain off the ginger and add fresh lemon juice for an extra zing. |
6. | I usually leave this for one or two nights in winter to get a light sparkle or you can add some sparkling water for a refreshing summer drink |
7. | APPLE CIDER VINEGAR |
8. | Clean a 1 litre jar well and let it air dry. |
9. | Fill the jar 3⁄4 full of apple scraps. |
10. | If you are using whole apples, roughly chop them up before you put them in the jar. |
11. | Dissolve 1 tablespoon cane sugar into 1 cup of water. |
12. | Pour the sugar water over the apples until they are completely submerged. |
13. | Add more water if needed to make sure the apples are covered. |
14. | Weigh down the apples with a plastic bag filled with water. |
15. | Any apples that are exposed to the air could grow mould. |
16. | Cover with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. |
17. | Store in a dark place at room temperature (I put mine in the pantry.) |
18. | Leave it for approximately 3 weeks, checking on it every few days to make sure the apples are staying under the water and to make sure no mould is growing. |
19. | After 3 weeks, it will still smell fairly sweet. |
20. | Strain the apple pieces out and return the liquid to the jar. |
21. | Compost the scraps. |
22. | Re-cover and put the jar back in a dark spot for another 3-4 weeks, stirring every few days. |
23. | When it has reached the tartness you like, you can put a lid on it or transfer it to a different jar with a lid and start using it. |
Recipes & food styling Ainsley Thompson / Photography Sam Stewart
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