Sure-vinegar and dill go together as naturally as ice cream and strawberries. But don't limit your thinking to pickles! Herbal vinegars are zingy on salads and veggies, in sauces and salsas-and they're even great for a facelift on a hot summer day. Harvest herbs at mid-day (when the volatile oils are at their peak), wash and pat dry, and strip the leaves from the stems. Half-fill a sterilized quart jar with slightly-bruised, loosely-packed herbs. Fill the jar with room-temperature vinegar (no need to heat) and cover tightly. Place in a dark cupboard and shake every few days. Check for flavor after 2 weeks. Strain into sterile bottles, cap, and label. Some combinations to tune up your taste buds:

• apple cider vinegar and nasturtium flowers and leaves, garlic, shallot, and a hot red pepper, to spike a salad
• red wine vinegar and basil, oregano, marjoram, and lovage, with a plate of cooked veggies
• rice vinegar and lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon grass, and lemon zest, in a garden stir-fry
• white wine vinegar and lavender and mint, chilled and patted on face and neck