Almost every diner and “meat and three” establishment across the South has a jar of hot pepper vinegar on each and every table. A dash or so of this potent liquid on greens is a revelation. The longer the mixture sits, the more potent it becomes. It also makes a great gift. I prepare several batches with peppers from my garden and present them as hostess and Christmas gifts. Nothing says love like a little heat.

Ingredients

　　6 to 8 hot chiles (such as jalapeño, cayenne, or banana)

　　4 cups apple cider vinegar

　　Wearing rubber gloves, wash the chiles under cold running water. Using a paring knife, make 2 or 3 small slits in each. Pack the peppers tightly in one or more sterilized jars (see page 279). Heat the vinegar in a saucepan over high heat until simmering. Pour the hot vinegar over the peppers. Secure tightly with the lid, and refrigerate for 3 weeks before opening. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.