by Leah Bender
It’s often said that you get more flies with honey than with vinegar, and while this may be true, one has to wonder if this is really a desirable outcome.
Flies aside, vinegar is a delicious and versatile substance in its own right, with countless culinary applications. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of your pantry.
What is vinegar?:
At the basic chemical level, vinegar is just a water-based solution of Acetic acid, with acidity levels ranging from 4-12%. Acetic acid is the primary compound responsible for vinegar’s characteristically sour flavor; it can also be found (alongside other organic acids) in apples, grapes, citrus fruits, kombucha, fermented dairy products, and certain wines.
How is it made?
Interestingly, the word ‘acetic’ derives from a latin phrase ‘vinum acetum’, which refers to wine that has gone ‘off’, or sour.
Indeed, the life of vinegar starts in much the same way that our favorite alcoholic beverages do: yeast converts the sugars and starches in fruit, rice, wheat, and other organic substrates into alcohol. Once this transformation is complete, another takes place with the help of acetic acid bacteria, which oxidizes alcohol into acetic acid. This process is known as double fermentation.
Culinary uses for vinegar:
Cooking vinegar comes in a vast array of flavors, each derived from its own unique fermentation source: white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, malt vinegar, champagne vinegar, fruit vinegars … the list goes on.
The culinary applications of vinegar are as myriad as the varieties themselves, as each brings its own unique flavor qualities to the table (your table!). Just to name a few:
Zesty salad dressings and vinaigrettes:
Balsamic, apple cider, and wine vinegars are all excellent choices here-- pair 2-3 parts quality olive oil with 1 part vinegar and a dash of dijon. Place ingredients in a sealed jar and shake it like it owes you money.
Marinades:
Acidity is an essential part of any marinade, helping to round out and bolster other flavors. The acidity of vinegar also helps to denature the proteins in meat, resulting in tender, juicier meat.
Extra saucy sauces:
Enhance your homemade hot sauces, BBQ sauces, chutneys, relishes and more with a splash (or more) of vinegar. Vinegars can also create rich, flavorful pan sauces when used to deglaze a stir fry.
Choosing a quality vinegar:
When choosing a vinegar to add to your kitchen arsenal, look for high-quality options made through traditional methods. You may notice that many of these characteristics are also the hallmarks of quality wine and cider:
Slow Fermentation: Quality vinegars are slow-fermented (sometimes for years), which allows acetic acid bacteria ample time to eat up all that tasty ethanol (alcohol) and yields a complex, robust flavor profile.
Quality Ingredients: Unsurprisingly, the kind of base material that is fermented into vinegar makes a difference here. Look for vinegars made with quality wines (Cabernets, Merlots, Cava, etc), and fruit vinegars made with organic ingredients.
Example: An apple cider vinegar made using traditional balsamic techniques. We love Mengazzoli Aceto Balsamico di Mela (Apple Balsamic Vinegar) for its complex flavor and balanced brightness. It makes for the perfect finishing touch for risotto, roasted chicken, steamed veggies, and even ice cream.
Barrel Aging: Not unlike fine wine, many top-notch balsamic vinegars are barrel aged for several years, causing the liquid to thicken and condense, and resulting in a mellow yet rich flavor.
An all-time staff favorite here in the cheese shop, Olivewood Balsamic is a great example of barrel aged vinegar-- it’s mellow sweetness and rich viscosity make it a unique yet essential staple in our kitchen. Do yourself a favor and drizzle it over a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, or a plate of seasoned heirloom tomato!
Filtration: Unfiltered vinegars retain sediment from their fermentation process, resulting in nuanced flavors and improved probiotic qualities.
Hopefully by now you have been convinced that vinegar has a number of uses beyond catching flies. Don’t hesitate to play around with different varieties of vinegars in your cooking-- the sky's the limit here, folks. Happy experimenting!