Different Types of Vinegar & its Uses (India Network)

Vinegar is versatile in cooking, too: make classic vinaigrette from oil and vinegar, splash it sparingly in soups and dishes to add acidity, or make a marinade for poultry or meat. Even if you think vinegar stinks (and it literally does), we believe vinegar should have a place in your kitchen. So we've created a handy guide to help you understand the different kinds. So, what is vinegar? It's basically a sour liquid (between a pH of 2 and 3.5) that's made from the fermentation of ethanol (alcohol), typically wine, beer or cider. Throughout history, humans have made vinegar, whether by accident or purposefully, and have used it in food as well as for health remedies. Interestingly the word vinegar is actually derived from the old French vin aigre, which means sour wine. And that pretty much applies to the most popular vinegars, which are made from wine. But not all vinegars start out as wine made from grapes -- there is rice vinegar (made from rice), malt vinegar (made from barley) and cider vinegar (made from apples). Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. In general, slow methods are used with traditional vinegars, and fermentation proceeds slowly over the course of weeks or months. The longer fermentation period allows for the accumulation of a nontoxic slime composed of acetic acid bacteria. Fast methods add mother of vinegar (i.e., bacterial culture) to the source liquid before adding air using a venturi pump system or a turbine to promote oxygenation to obtain the fastest fermentation. Let us discuss different types of vinegar that are best for cooking uses.

Wine Vinegar

This flavorful type of vinegar is made from a blend of either red wines or white wines and is common in Europe, especially Germany. Creative cooks often infuse wine vinegars with extra flavor by tucking in a few sprigs of well-washed fresh herbs, dried herbs, or fresh berries. Red wine vinegar is often flavored with natural raspberry flavoring, if not with the fruit itself. The quality of the original wine determines how good the vinegar is. Better wine vinegars are made from good wines and are aged for a couple of years or more in wooden casks. The result is a fuller, more complex, and mellow flavor. You might find sherry vinegar on the shelf next to the wine vinegars. This variety is made from sherry wine, and usually is imported from Spain. Champagne vinegar (yes, made from the bubbly stuff) is specialty vinegar and is quite expensive. Wine vinegar excels at bringing out the sweetness of fruit, melon, and berries and adds a flavorful punch to fresh salsa.

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar is a salad lover's favorite in America but it is truly an Italian specialty. In use since the middle ages, there are only two manufacturers of true balsamic vinegar. Made from a reduction of pressed Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes, the vinegar is aged in wood barrels for at least 12 years and can cost $100 a bottle. Today there are also many great commercial versions available so you can enjoy this dark sweet delicacy no matter what your price range. In Italy, balsamic vinegar is often used in traditional desserts such as panna cotta or drizzled over fresh fruit. It can also be added to any kind of meat or seafood as a flavor enhancer and of course no culinary education would be complete without classic balsamic vinaigrette.

Rice Vinegar

Any discussion of vinegar and its varieties would be incomplete without mentioning the wide variety of rice vinegars from Asia. Made for over three thousand years from fermented rice or rice wine these vinegars come in a wide variety of colors. Depending on the region they can range from clear to red to black. Though they all vary greatly, they do tend to be milder and sweeter than western vinegars. The one we encounter most often in California culinary arts is Japanese rice vinegar, the magic ingredient in sushi rice that gives it that wonderful sweet tangy flavor; it is also a great addition to stir-fry recipes and salad dressings.

There many other types of vinegars like sherry vinegar, apple cedar and much more. India Food Network is website that provides you with various healthy veg and non veg recipes, food tips, ingredients lists and much more. Visit India Food Network for more details.

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