The above ingredients are approximations. Vary them to control the flavor and heat content to your preference.

Select a variety of hot peppers based on flavor and color. Stem them, and slit them open along the length of the pepper. Peel the garlic cloves and split them at least in half;in thirds if they are large. Put the peppers, garlic, peppercorns, and cilantro in a sterilized bottle with a tight fitting

lid. Add the vinegar until the bottle is filled to the top and seal.

Let the mixture sit for one week in a cool, dark place. Make sure to shake it gently at least once a day. Taste constantly, and enjoy the slowly building heat and flavor. At the end of the week, you can strain the mixture

if you desire. Or, for a hotter brew, leave in the ingredients for another 1-3 weeks before straining.

Better still is to leave in the ingredients, and to top off the vinegar with

fresh as it is being used. When the heat and flavor starts to waver, strain

the ingredients and replace with fresh ones.