On November 1st National Vinegar Day not only makes things taste great, but it also makes things sparkle, too.
- There are many varieties of vinegar:
- Apple cider – Made primarily from apple juice, yeast turns the juice to vinegar.
- Balsamic – This darker and intensely acidic vinegar is made from grapes. It makes an excellent salad dressing and can also be cooked down into a syrup.
- Beer or Malt – The vinegar comes in a variety of flavors all determined by the beer or malt used to make it. This type of vinegar brings complex flavors to your cooking. Whether making a sauce or a marinade, you won’t go wrong.
- Cane – Made from sugar cane syrup, this vinegar is mellow with a mild sweetness. Use it in vinaigrettes or sauces.
- Distilled – This powerhouse vinegar made from grain alcohol both cleans and makes great pickles. It is the most versatile of the kinds of vinegar. However, it must be pointed out that other vinegar make great pickles, too.
- Rice – This sweeter vinegar makes great sauces that pair well with fried foods, Asian cuisine, and cooked vegetables.
- Red wine – Made from red wine, this vinegar makes an excellent marinade for red meats. Use it to deglaze a pan before making a sauce. It also complements vegetables.
- Coconut – Made from the sap produced by the flowers of coconut trees, this vinegar adds sweetness to soups and salad dressings. It’s most often found in Asian and Indian cuisine but is subtle enough to be used in many other recipes.
- You can also explore flavored vinegar, honey, palm, raisin, and kombucha vinegar, too!
Vinegar is:
- Most commonly used in food preparation such as pickling processes, vinaigrettes and other salad dressings
- An essential ingredient in mustard, ketchup, barbecue sauce and mayonnaise
- A popular condiment for fish and chips
- Flavoring for potato chips
- Used as a dip for crab meat
- A substitute for fresh lemon juice
- Ingredient in a sauce when roasting lamb
- Used in sushi rice
- Commonly put into mint sauce
- Ingredient in making some beverages
- Used for medical remedies and treatments
- Ideal for cleaning
- Essential in home canning
- Used in gardening and pest control
Fun Facts:
- Some forms of vinegar are believed to have health benefits.
- The name vinegar comes to us from the French, “vin aigre,” literally meaning sour wine.
- Around 5,000 BC, the Babylonians used vinegar as both a condiment and preservative; they are also credited with the practice of adding herbs and spices to flavor it.
- Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes.
- Historically, as the most easily available mild acid, it had a great variety of industrial, medical, and domestic uses, some of which (such as its use as a general household cleanser) are still promoted today.
- To disinfect and clean your wood cutting boards or butcher block countertop, wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each use.
- Spots caused by wine can be removed from 100 percent cotton fabrics if done so within 24 hours. Sponge the garment with white distilled vinegar directly onto the stain and rub away the spots.
- White vinegar can help treat sunburn. Simply put a tissue over the sunburned skin and lightly spray with white vinegar. It helps restore your skin to the correct acidity and gives a cooling effect.
- You can use full strength white distilled vinegar to kill grass on sidewalks and driveways.
- Vinegar can help soothe a queasy stomach! The queasy curing cocktail is made of apple cider vinegar, water and honey.
- Increase soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for watering rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas.
- Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known.
- Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.
- Condition hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.
- Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
- Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
- In the early days of the United States, the production of cider vinegar was a cornerstone of farm and domestic economy, bringing three times the price of traditional hard cider.
Sources:
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