Vegetarian Today: Making flavored vinegars is easy, but rice vinegar is best left to the pros.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

Q: I want to make my own flavored vinegars. I also want to make my own rice vinegar. Do you have any recipes? _ M. Becker, Boca Raton, Fla.

A: Here is the method to make your own flavored vinegars. Unfortunately, you cannot make rice vinegar. It's a very complex procedure involving fermenting and aging over long periods of time under controlled temperature and humidity.

There are many good brands of rice vinegar available in Asian stores and most supermarkets.

To make fruit-flavored vinegars: Take 3 cups rice vinegar, red wine or apple cider vinegar and bring to a slow boil in a nonreactive pan. Place 2 cups of your favorite sliced fruit, such as strawberries, peaches, plums or crushed raspberries, in a sterile glass jar.

Pour the vinegar over and let cool. Cover the jar and place the vinegar in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks so the flavors can blend. Then strain the fruit out and pour the vinegar into a decorative jar to use for salads.

To make herb-flavored vinegars: Take 3 cups rice vinegar, red wine or apple cider vinegar and bring to a slow boil in a nonreactive pan.

Take 1 cup loose-packed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano or basil, and place in a sterile jar. You can use just one herb or a combination of them. You can also add a pinch of dried red chili flakes or a few peeled garlic cloves.