Savouring Sour Grapes
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday September 30, 1997
VINEGAR can be made from any sort of alcohol and can be as cheap as bottled water or as expensive as rare wine.
In fact, in the past, vinegar was often given as part of dowry payments.
Classic vinegars are based on red wine but a variety of bases can be used.
Different bases reflect the drinking traditions of each country or region.
Dark malt vinegar, made from malted barley, originates in Northern Europe where beer is a traditional drink, while the Japanese favour rice vinegar which is based on rice wine.
Vinegar occurs naturally when the alcohol comes into contact with bacteria, forming a white bloom or film on the surface, called the vinegar mother, which contains yeast cells.
This film sinks to the bottom of the wooden cask or container, turning the liquid into acetic acid or vinegar.
This film is removed and added to fresh alcohol to make more vinegar.
The taste and colour of the various vinegars depend on the base liquid and whether the vinegar was formed in wooden casks, earthenware jugs or wine bottles.
Vinegars are used to give dishes a distinctive flavour and can be matched to different ingredients.
Different herbs and fruits can also be added to vinegars to give each a distinct flavour.
Fresh herbs like basil, rosemary and marjoram are often added to the vinegar and left to infuse for several weeks.
To provide a decorative touch, often the herbs are left whole, giving the bottle a rustic look.
Fruits are left to soak in the vinegar for a few days.
The vinegar is then strained through a fine cloth before being simmered for a few minutes and then rebottled. Simmering allows the acidity to burn off, leaving the flavour of the additive to shine through.
Berries can be added at the rebottling stage for an added decorative touch.
Making special vinegar infusions is easy to do at home and the labours of your love of vinegar make wonderful gifts.
SOME may believe it is sacrilegious to talk about using vinegar as a cleaner when it can add such flavour and depth to dishes.
But ordinary, everyday white vinegar is a fantastic cleaner, getting rid of everything from stains to rust.
If your tent pegs are rusty after a camping trip away, simply soak the pegs overnight in a bucket of white vinegar to dissolve the rust. This also works for barbecue plates and many other metal surfaces that can get rusty or tarnished.
It is also effective in the bathroom for removing mould and soap scum.
A paste made from bicarbonate soda and vinegar can easily cut through mould and scum. Vinegar is also great for cleaning the inside of kettles and coffee makers.
White vinegar can often be found in the cleaning sections of supermarkets. It should not be used on acetate fabrics as it may dissolve the surface.
A mixture of vinegar and water is perfect for removing built-up furniture polish and vinegar will also clean up brick tiling around a fireplace.
Vinegar can also be used as a final rinse when hand washing clothing or nappies to break down and remove the soap from the material.
This cheesy salad has a dash of panache
?b Green Roquefort Salad THIS recipe combines the flavours of sherry vinegar and roquefort cheese into an easy but fantastic looking salad.
Ingredients
head of cos lettuce
parsley
olive oil
sourdough bread
25gm roquefort cheese
4 tspns sherry vinegar
2 tbspns sour cream
salt and pepper
Make the croutons by frying small pieces of the bread in olive oil until golden. Drain and set aside.
Crumble the cheese and add the vinegar and about six tablespoons of olive oil as well sour cream and season to taste. Stir until combined.
Wash and dry the cos lettuce and break into bite-sized pieces.
Place in a serving bowl and cover with the croutons then pour over the cheese dressing.
Toss and add parsley to garnish.
© 1997 Newcastle Herald