Plum, Cinnamon & Star Anise Vinegar

In the quiet alchemy of late summer, I gathered windfallen plums—bruised but beautiful, still warm from the sun—and steeped them in spice and time. Cinnamon curled like memory, star anise whispered of distant lands, and together they fermented into something more than vinegar: a love letter to changing seasons, to sweetness turned bold, to patience made golden. Drizzle it, sip it, savour it—this is bottled romance, kissed by autumn.

Time taken repays in abounds, life lived slower is somehow better…

Nurturing your microbiome is key to a happier mind and body..

Simple in its make up, so much more than the sum of its parts

vinegar, switchel, acv, fermented, gut healthy, microbiome, gut heath, switchel, shrub, gut healthy drinks

Author: Suze Morrison

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Plum, Cinnamon & Star Anise Vinegar

In the quiet alchemy of late summer, I gathered windfallen plums—bruised but beautiful, still warm from the sun—and steeped them in spice and time. Cinnamon curled like memory, star anise whispered of distant lands, and together they fermented into something more than vinegar: a love letter to changing seasons, to sweetness turned bold, to patience made golden. Drizzle it, sip it, savour it—this is bottled romance, kissed by autumn.

Ingredients

• 250g ripe plums (slightly bruised or overripe is fine)
• 50g raw cane sugar (or honey for a mellower fermentation)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole star anise
• 700ml filtered water (non-chlorinated)
• 2 tbsp of raw apple cider vinegar (to help kickstart fermentation)
• A large, sterilised jar (1.5–2L)
• Muslin cloth or clean tea towel and rubber band

Instructions

1. Make sure the plums are free from bugs but do not wash, the skins will be covered in wild yeasts which aid fermentation
2. In your sterilised jar, combine the plums, sugar (or honey), cinnamon, and star anise.
3. Pour over the filtered water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add the splash of raw apple cider vinegar.
5. Cover the jar with muslin or a clean tea towel and secure with a rubber band—this keeps out bugs but allows airflow for wild fermentation.
6. Leave at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) for 7-10 days
7. After 7–10 days, once the bubbling slows and the liquid tastes lightly sour with a sweet, fruity base, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin into a clean bottle or jar.
8. Compost the solids or use them in chutneys or stews.
9. Leave the strained liquid at room temperature for a further 3–4 weeks, covered loosely with muslin to allow oxygen in. Taste weekly.
10. Once it’s tart enough for your liking, seal it with a lid and store in the fridge or a cool, dark place.
11. Notes & Tips:
12. If a gelatinous film forms on top, that’s likely a vinegar mother—a sign of successful fermentation! You can use it to speed up future batches.
13. The longer it ferments, the more acidic and less sweet it becomes.
14. For a shrub, mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts sparkling water and a dash of honey.
15. Uses:
16. Drizzle over roasted root vegetables or halloumi
17. Mix into vinaigrettes with walnut oil
18. Glaze duck, pork, or aubergine
19. Stir into cocktails or mocktails with crushed ice and herbs

https://gourmetglow.co.uk/recipes/plum-cinnamon-star-anise-vinegar

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