DORIS REYNOLDS

Let’s Talk Food: Discover the versatility of vinegar

Doris Reynolds
Infused oils and vinegars are easy and inexpensive to make.

It is difficult to imagine a well-stocked pantry without vinegar. One of our commonest ingredients, and one we are seldom without, is this tangy, useful and flavorful product. In recent years this common, ordinary substance has been elevated from its lowly place on the culinary ladder to a more lofty position. Vinegar is a now all dressed up and on display in the gourmet food section of food markets.

Doris Reynolds

Gourmets are ecstatic at the variety of flavored vinegars offered in the most expensive food emporiums. Noted chefs throughout the world have discovered the versatility of vinegar, especially balsamic vinegar, a rare and expensive ingredient that is as lionized as the finest wines.

The production of vinegar began in France in the 17th century, but food historians have found that the ancient Greeks and Romans used vinegar. It is mentioned numerous times in the Bible.

Wine vinegar, the original vinegar, takes its name from the French “vin aigre” — sour wine. Wine vinegar is made by allowing a specific bacteria (mycoderma aceti) to react with alcohol and oxygen to create acetic acid, the substance that gives vinegar its pleasant sharpness.

In the early days of vinegar making, as practiced by the French more than 200 years ago, vinegar was made in hundreds of small oak casks. Each day the stopper on each cask was removed to allow air to reach the wine, and the cask was rocked back and forth to work the air down into the liquid.

During the 19th century, the vinegar generator was invented. This large wooden tank is loosely filled with wood shavings, and the wine is slowly released onto this filler. It takes about a week for the liquid to trickle to the bottom, where it is collected as vinegar.

In the middle of the 20th century, German Hans Frings invented the acetator. This machine forces air through the wine at a carefully controlled temperature, so it becomes vinegar in 24 hours.

Vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, is essential in the preparation of mustard, cold sauces and vinaigrette.

Vinegar is essential in the preparation of mustard, cold sauces and vinaigrette. Balsamic vinegar is increasingly used in cooking reduced sauces and in deglazing. Vinegar is also indispensable for the preparation of pickles, chutneys, marinades and in sweet-and-sour dishes.

With an abundance of fresh herbs available and unflavored wine vinegar relatively inexpensive, preparing your own bottles of flavored vinegars may be done quickly and efficiently, and there’s no danger of failure. These flavored vinegars make wonderful gifts, especially when accompanied with recipes using them.

White wine vinegar is probably the most versatile variety to use, since it lends itself to the flavor of a single herb or a combination of several. Red wine vinegar is more appropriate for the most pungent herbs, while cider vinegar should be used with mint, dill and basil.

There are two basic methods for making herbal vinegars, and the ingredients are identical. The following recipes make 1 quart.                               

Sun-treated vinegar

Place fresh herbs of choice (rosemary, thyme, garlic, dill, chives, tarragon, fennel or basil) in a large jar or bottle and pour either white or red wine vinegar over them. Set the bottle in a sunny window for two weeks, turning regularly. The heat of the sun will extract the flavor from the herbs. If using the vinegar immediately, there is no need to filter it. However, if giving the vinegar for a gift or if you plan to leave it on the shelf awhile, strain out the herbs by pouring the vinegar through a coffee filter or through cheesecloth. Place in a clean bottle and add one or two fresh sprigs of the herbs used in the vinegar.

Traditional herb vinegar

Place the herbs of choice in a large jar or bottle. In a saucepan, heat the vinegar to the boiling point, remove from the flame and pour over the herbs. Let steep until cool. The hot vinegar will wilt the herbs, so strain and discard herbs. Place two or three sprigs of fresh herbs in each bottle and seal.

Berry vinegars

Fruit and berry vinegars are the most expensive on the market, and they are the easiest to prepare. They contain so much juice and don’t need to be peeled or pitted. During strawberry season, a special bottle of flavored vinegar will add zest and interest to the most mundane salad.

1 to 1½ pounds ripe berries, washed and drained

1 quart white wine vinegar, preferably 5 percent acidity or higher

Use any berries and prepare:

Blackberries: 1 pound, well-crushed

Blueberries: 1 pound, ground in a blender with about ⅓ cup of vinegar

Cranberries: 1 pound, ground in food processor or blender with about ⅓ cup of vinegar

Raspberries: 1 to 1½ pounds, well-crushed

Strawberries: 1 pound, hulled and well-crushed

In a large glass bowl, prepare berries as indicated. Stir in the vinegar. Pour into jars for aging. If using more than one jar, be sure to divide the berries and vinegar equally. Cover with plastic wrap secured by rubber bands. Allow to age in a cool, dark place for about three to four weeks. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or coffee filter until clear. Pour into bottles and seal. Use within 18 months.

Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacock was Roasted and Mullet Was Fried” and a four-part DVD, “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com.