Vinegar.....an old sour puss!

If you put the words "humble" and "wonder" together you find you have the word vinegar. That's right, vinegar. Coming from very humble and "mistaken" origins, vinegar has stood the test of time and has long been one of the few wondrous foods that does a body good. And by standing the test of time, we're not kidding. Vinegar was first written about in Babylonian times, 5000 B.C.E. Vessels with traces of vinegar have been found from 6000 B.C.E. in Egypt and China.

 

So what is vinegar anyway? Let's start with the word, itself.  Vinegar comes from the French word, vinaigre, which literally means "sour wine." To make vinegar all that is needed is sugar, alcohol and the bacteria in the air and you have vinegar.

The first vinegar is believed to be a mistake. Wine left to ferment too long developed into what we know as vinegar. This mistake proved to be invaluable and soon became useful for everything from cooking to cleaning to medicine. As a matter of fact, Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, prescribed vinegar mixed with honey for a variety of ailments including the common cold.

Additionally, Roman soldiers consumed a drink called "posca." It was diluted vinegar used to strengthen and energize the body.  Japanese samurai were known to do the same thing.  The drink also offered the benefit of killing any infectious nasties that might be lurking around. So strong is vinegar that Hannibal used it in 218 B.C.  Not so much for consumption, but rather the vinegar was poured over boulders to crumble them and allow the troops to march through the Italian Alps. In more modern times, apple cider vinegar was used by American Civil War soldiers and WWI soldiers to clean and disinfect wounds and to hasten the wound healing.

Liz and Richard

Cleopatra, being something of a show-off, bet Mark Antony that she could consume a feast worth a fortune.  She won the bet by dissolving a precious peal in a cup of vinegar.  After completing the meal, Cleo drank the vinegar, thus proving her point.  By winning the bet, she won Mark back.

Have you ever heard of "four thieves vinegar?" The story goes that the Bubonic Plague in European resulted in so many deaths that the bodies could not be properly buried.  Convicts were released and charged with burying the highly infected corpses.  Many of these convicts surely died from contracting the disease.  However, some convicts survived because they drank a mixture of garlic infused vinegar.  Whether this is just legend or not, Four Thieves Vinegar is still produced today.

One last bit of history: In 1896, Henry Heinz founded a company selling prepared horseradish, pickles and sauces. The Heinz company manufactured their own vinegar for their recipes.  Heinz being a successful entrepreneur, soon realized that he could package the vinegar for home use.   And so the first American made and bottled vinegar was on store shelves.

While vinegar may have gotten its start as wine gone sour, there are a variety of other things that can be used to create our healthy sour friend.   Around the world vinegar is made from any liquid that contains sugar and starch, such as fruit, honey, raisins, rose petals, sugar cane, etc.  And the various ways to consume vinegar are endless.  You can make marinades, salsas, mustard, chutneys, jams and preserves, etc.

Here are a number of vinegars you can choose from when making your special dishes:

• White vinegar is the most common vinegar found in American households.  Best used for pickling and household cleaning.
• Apple Cider vinegar is the second-most-common vinegar in American households.  This vinegar made from apple cider adds a tart and fruity flavor to your salads, dressings, marinades, etc.
• Wine vinegar is made from either red or white wine.  It is very common in Europe.  This vinegar adds a fuller taste to your dish.
• Balsamic vinegar is aged for 6-25 years.  It is aged in casts made of chestnut, mulberry, oak, juniper and cherry woods.  This is a complex, sweet vinegar that can be lovingly infused with any number of fruit and spice flavors.
• Rice vinegar is popular in Asian cooking.  It has a subtle flavor that is perfect for fruits and vegetables.  You can find rice vinegar in white, red and black.  Each version is useful in different dishes.
• Malt vinegar is a favorite in Britain.  It dark brown and puts us in mind of deep-brown ale.  It is made from barley kernels which ultimately results in an aged vinegar.
• Cane vinegar is produced from sugar cane and is found mainly in the Philippines.  Cane vinegar is not any sweeter than any other vinegar.
• Beer vinegar is popular in Germany, Austria, Bavaria and the Netherlands.  Make from beer, it has a sharp, malty taste.
• Coconut vinegar has a sharp, acidic taste.  It is a staple in Southeast Asian cooking and is made from the sap of the coconut palm.  
• Raisin vinegar is a cloudy brown vinegar and is produced in Turkey.  Popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.

And just when you thought you figured out all the consumption uses, you can fined a bunch of ways to use it all over your home. That's right! Vinegar has been long used for cleaning and disinfecting around the house. Well before the big name business that provide us with bleach and other harsh chemical cleaners, vinegar has been quietly sitting in the background offer us the opportunity to use a more natural method of getting rid of odors and grime. We know, we know. This is a cooking blog, but we would be remiss if we didn't offer you an easy and inexpensive way to clean in your home. Here's some pointers on the possible uses of vinegar:

• Clean your counter tops with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
• Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
• Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.
• See more 

Okay, let's talk about cooking with vinegar.  The time honored tradition of adding small amounts of vinegar was lost for a time.  The "old school" way of doing things is quietly making its comeback and reminds us how important flavor is when we cook.  So here are a few things that might be new to you, but have been used for centuries in the culinary world:

• If you have a cracked egg, you can still hard boil it by adding 1 Tablespoons of vinegar to boiling water, then adding the egg.  The vinegar will keep the white from leaking out.
• To keep fish white, soak for 20 minutes in a mixture of 1 quart water and 2 Tablespoons of vinegar. Don't worry, the vinegar taste will cook off.
• If you are cooking fruit in a pan for a compote or sauce, add a teaspoon of vinegar.  It will improve the taste.
• For a twist on your next burger, add garlic wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon mustard to your ground meat.  Adds a bit of zing to the burger.
• Making your own tomato sauce?  Add 1-2 Tablespoons of vinegar just before the sauce is done to enhance the flavors.
• Not sure if the baking soda you have in your cupboard is still fresh?  Pour 2 Tablespoons of vinegar into a small dish.  Add 1 teaspoon baking soda.  If the baking soda is good it will make the vinegar froth up.
• Homemade bread will rise well with the help of 1 Tablespoon of vinegar for every 2.5 cups flour. Other liquids can be reduce accordingly.  Also, brush a bit of vinegar on your bread just before it is done baking for a nice golden brown crust.
• Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your cake/muffin/cupcake recipe for a tender outcome. Do the same with your homemade pie crust.  Just a bit make for a tender crust.

Today we offer you a simple red wine vinaigrette recipe for your summer salad.

Vinaigrette 

What you need:

½ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon whole grain prepared mustard

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1¼ cups extra virgin olive oil

What you need to do:

Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender. Pulse a few times thoroughly to mix ingredients together.

With the blender on low speed, slowly add olive oil to the mixture in a steady stream until completely blended. Drizzle over your favorite salad.

Wow!  That's easy enough.  No need to buy the bottled dressing when you can make a lovely homemade vinaigrette.

There is so much to know about vinegar and we encourage you to do more research and find out how it can fit into your home and on your table.

Now, go out and make something good!