Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons thyme-flavoured honey
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 5 dried figs, chopped
• 2 cups sweet red wine, such as greek mavrodaphne
• 2 cups good-quality red wine vinegar
• 1 cup good-quality white wine vinegar
• 1 cup total of different kinds of fresh wood chips, such as pine,oak,maple,apple and walnut (tied in a double-layer of cheesecloth)

Instructions

1. In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the honey, 1 cup of the raisins, half of the chopped figs and the sweet wine.

2. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring from time to time, until reduced to 1 cup.

3. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids, and discard raisins and figs.

4. Tie the remaining raisins and figs in a piece of cheesecloth.

5. Combine the flavoured wine with the red and white vinegars in a clean 1 ½-quart jar.

6. Add both cheesecloth packages (the dried fruit in one, the wood chips in the other).

7. Cover and let stand for 3-4 weeks, shaking from time to time.

8. Discard both cheesecloth packages, pass the vinegar through a dampened coffee filter into a 1-quart bottle and cover tightly.

9. Honeyed Wine Vinegar will keep for 1 year stored in a cool, dark place.