Waste Not: Citrus Vinegars Recipe

American cooking icon, James Beard once said, “it is true thrift to use the best ingredients available and to waste nothing.” When thinking about full-use cooking, many see it as aspirational. Ingredients like fruit peel, vegetable stems, and scrap kimchee aren’t classically acknowledged as elevated ingredients. But chefs like Beard would beg to differ. Dubbed the “Dean of American Cuisine” by Julia Child, Beard had an unpretentious approach to food and aimed to introduce others to sustainable cooking.

Inspired by the resourceful spirit of Oregon-native James Beard, Waste Not provides tips and recipes to turn every bone, stem, root, and peel into something delicious. From broccoli stem vinaigrette to leftover doughnut crème brûlée, this revolutionary recipe book teaches that full-use cooking can be fun and attainable.

According to the James Beard Foundation, if Americans were to reduce food waste just one day a week, it would equate to nearly 8 million tons of food being saved every year. Enter the Waste Not Initiative, a movement started to inspire others to approach food responsibly and economically. By adopting sustainable practices one day a week, on "Waste Not Wednesday," they hope to think differently about food and encourage others to do the same. So, to kick things off, we thought we'd share a simple and straightforward citrus-infused vinegar recipe from its pages. 

Ingredients:

Yields 1 Quart Vinegar

Directions:

*You can also use lime, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, or other citrus fruits for this recipe. 

How to Use Your Citrus Vinegars:

Recipe by Derek Wagner. From Waste Not: How To Get The Most From Your Food.