Cider v White Vinegar...other


 
Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm far from an AB fan but he's right about distilled white vin (let's hope he's not being sarcastic). It's junk as far as cooking is concerned. It's made from ethyl alcohol and tempered--which is why it is so harsh. No need to use it in foods.

Good cider vinegar is made from--what else?--cider. Cheap 'cider-flavored' vinegar is flavored cheap vinegar or, worse, flavored distilled. Try a good organic unfiltered cider vin--or a few--and find one you like. Makes all the difference in a vin sauce. (TJ's has a good one as does Spectrum and Newman's Own).

Wine vin is made from wine, of course, white or red or Champagne. There are vinegars made from varietals--like Chardonnay vin, Merlot vin, Zinfandel vin, etc. Red wine vins differ from balsamics in that they are less sweet. Balsamics--the really good ones--are very expensive. (I have a 100ml bottle at home that cost $250!). Contrary to popular assumption, balsamicis made from white grapes, not red, usually trebbianos. It's boiled down and then aged in wood casks which add to its color. The most expensive are aged for many years and moved from one type of wood cask to another--up to seven different types of wood casks--each lending flavor notes. Some 'balsamics' are just very cheap red wine vin that has been sweetened. Inexpensive balsamics (not the poorly made ones) are simply not aged as long and are not transferred to different-wood casks during the process. They are (and should be) sweet-ish, with full fruit flavor. TJ's has two that are good and, again, Newman's Own has a delicious balsamic.

Several fruit vinegars are actually wine vinegars that are flavored with fruit. Made well they are very good. In vogue for the past couple years in higher-end places: fig vinegar. Several years ago raspberry vinegar was the thing (and a good rasp vin is still worth having around, especially for summer salads or to reduce and drizzle on grilled chicken).

Rice vinegar, made from fermented rice, comes in white, black and red, with white (clear to pale yellow) being the most common here. It is slightly sweet and is less acidic than most other vins--usually 4-4.5% acidity rather than 5%. It is a good replacement for white wine vin in most things and is good, as would be expected, in Asian dishes where it is typically used. (Asian countries have many interesting fermented fruit vinegars.)

Two vins I like and use frequently are cognac and sherry vinegars, especially sherry. Spanish sherry vinegar is, if it is quality, aged 30 years. The interesting thing though, is that despite its long aging it is quite inexpensive, usually about $8 for a half-split--much less expensive than similarly aged balsamics (because, still, at this point, they have not become all the rage like balsamics did years ago and still are). Grab some at Whole Foods. (Make sure it is aged sherry vin.)

One of my very favorites for Q is pineapple vinegar, used in a few areas in Mexico, especially. It is unavailable (as far as I know) here, but is easy to make, either by fermenting ripe pineapple, or by simple soaking pineapple trimmings in rice vinegar (in a bowl on the counter, covered with plastic and a towel to keep out the light) for a few weeks. It is subtly but distinctly pineapple-y. I use it in place of cider vin in my finishing sauce for PP when I have it available, and it is warranted in many regional Mex dishes, especially those from the Yucatán.

Several vinegars, notably balsamic, high quality fruit-flavored vinegars, and sherry vin can benefit from reduction before use, depending on what their use will be.
 
Good post and a great response.
Off the wall, but which should I carry on my boat for jellyfish stings. Currently have a bottle of the white on board, perhaps that is its best usage.

Thx Steve, Kent, and Kevin.
 
Kevin, you just added another chapter to the book...thank you. I had never heard of cognac vinegar! They must be good.

I have been a fan of Canadian Club whisky for years. Some time back they offered a version aged in sherry casks. It was delightful.
 
Was looking at one of my shelves which reminded me of this thread, last evening, when a quick dinner idea popped up.

Grilled rib-eye over pappardelle with shallot, garlic and artichoke hearts, with sugar snap peas and sliced tomato.

The sauce for the pasta is sliced shallot sweated in evoo with thyme and then a little garlic added. Heat increased, and a hefty splash each of cognac vin and sherry vin are allowed to reduce till just syrupy, then a package of frozen artichoke hearts gets added, the heat reduced, and the pan covered till the artichokes thaw and steam in the vinegar reduction. Pinch of sugar and a couple T unsalted butter stirred in, off heat, and this sits till finish.

The rib-eyes were rubbed with white and green ground pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, clove, chipotle, and Aleppo.

Cooked the peas and papardelle while the steaks grilled and rewarmed the sauce. Grated well-aged Parmigiano and reserved. Scooped out 1/3 c of the cooking water from the pasta pot, reserved it, and drained the pasta. Meanwhile, I heavily sprinkled 3 T of cassis vinegar with ground green peppercorns, in a little pan, and set that to reduce over high heat.

Steaks off and resting. Pasta tossed with artichoke sauce, the Parmigiano and the reserved cooking water with some salt and pepper and allowed to sit on low heat, covered, so that the pasta would absorb flavors from the sauce.

Plate the pasta, plate the peas, plate the tomatoes, slice and fan the steak, drizzle the steak with the peppered cassis vinegar syrup.




While putting stuff away I knocked over a few things on the shelf and had to reorganize a bit. Shot this pic of some of the vins from the shelf (l-r: rice, cognac, white balsamic, zinfandel, sherry, malt, champagne, balsamic, apple cider, cassis, pomegranate)





The malt vin, btw, is excellent on homemade french fries.
 
Doggone it, Kevin, you did it again! You always make me want to stop what I should be doing and start cooking. Keep this up and you're going to be responsible for a divorce!

Just kidding, of course...well, mostly. I'll just add this one to my ever-growing list of things to cook and some vinegars that I don't have space to store to my shopping list.

Rita
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top