I want to make flavoured cooking oils for presents - any ideas?

[CheeeseOnToast]

I'd like to make some lovely, handmade and cheap Christmas presents this year and thought of making some chilli-infused oil and maybe garlic-infused oil too.

I should be able to find some nice tall glass bottles to use, but when it comes to the oil itself, do i just get olive oil and literally just put chillis in? How long will it take to infuse properly - will they be ready in time for Christmas?

I'm quite excited about doing this, I want to make up quite a few so we can give them out to friends and family. I think some people would use them as oil to cook delicious things with (like me ) and others might appreciate the more decorative quality, as nice red chillis would look great. Unsure about the garlic oil though... and how that would look. Any other suggestions? and where do i start with labels?

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

My brother is a chef and he makes these often. I think that he just bungs in garlic and lots of herbs.

I made labels one time for him, using brown corrugated paper with the white handwritten labels stuck on them. I tied the labels to the bottle neck with some string.

Soemthing like thyme or rosemary oil would be nice too - just literally shove a sprig or two in the bottle and add the oil.
Garlic oil is easy - just pop a few cloves in, add the oil & shake. It doesn't look arty attractive but tastes delicious

Great idea!

oooh excellent

MmeGoblint, does it take long for them to infuse the oil? Will i have time before xmas do you think? actually i think i'll do it anyway... people are unlikely to get an xmas pressie and then use it the next day, especially if it looks all pretty.

love the labels with brown corrugated card too, i know exactly what you mean.

off to the craft shop this weekend then!!

Should be fine by Christmas, and as you say they are unlikely to break them open on Boxing Day.

I think my brother leaves them for a couple of weeks.

Pink peppercorns, black peppercorns, whole peeled cloves of garlic, bay leaves, dried chillis, thyme, rosemary.

nice bottles in ikea for 2.99 have just bought some to dothis very thing.

sweads is that all at once or separtely?

I think you can get lemon infused oil although im not sure how you would get the lemon in the bottle if it has a narrow neck?

hmmm... intriguing notamumyet. maybe spiralled lemon rind? Nice idea.

I think i'm going to do one chilli, one garlic and one rosemary per present. And maybe a lemon one, if i can think of how yo do it? I'm trying to find a nice little set of smaller bottles. found these nice bottles in Ikea but think they're a bit too large...

This is a great idea, I am going to mark myself on this thread!

Ps CheeseOnToast I have some of those bottles from IKEA and they are massive, they can hold far more than a small bottle of olive oil - they do look nice though!

what about these They have 3 different sizes.

ooooh mogs0 they are nice - not a bad price either. I like the six 250ml ones for £8.95...

Here are some other glass bottles I found

I just bought nice oil in nice jars, cant remember what make tho sorry, mindees have been filling them with garlicn lemon thyme star anise and ginger for mums.

Chiilis, rosemary garlic for Dads, oh and both have mustard seeds and black peppercorns in them.

Thay then made their own labels for them.

wow that's a lovely idea, getting the kids to make it for their mums. I would be very impressed if DS made some for me. I might have to leave this page on screen and hope DP sees it....

i bought some basil oil from tesco finest range...its lush and i use it loads...would be thrilled to get some as a pressie.

if you need a tester......