The most common types of vinegar are table, wine and apple cider, but besides them, dozens of varieties of this seasoning are used in the cooking of different nations. It is difficult to imagine oriental cuisine without rice vinegar, Italians often use balsamic, British - malt, there are other, more exotic varieties.
The main varieties of vinegar
Vinegar can be made from almost any food that contains natural sugars. Yeast ferments sugars into alcohol, and bacteria "convert" it into natural vinegar, which has the aroma and taste of the original product. Also, pure acetic acid is obtained in chemical laboratories, it is sold as vinegar essence, undiluted, or as table vinegar, diluted with water. By infusing table vinegar on fruits, herbs or spices, a flavored seasoning is obtained, which is close to natural in taste.
Vinegar essence is not used in its pure form, moreover, it is life-threatening, if you take it inside, you can burn the larynx and esophagus.
The most fragrant and exotic varieties
Apple cider vinegar is a golden liquid with a distinct aroma of the fruits of the same name, obtained from apple cider. This seasoning is ideal for salads, sauces, marinades. Natural apple cider vinegar can be as concentrated as vinegar essence, so it is often diluted with fruit juice, plain water, or water sweetened with honey. Apple cider vinegar is a variety of fruit vinegars obtained from fruit or berry wines. They also include raspberry, currant, peach and sea buckthorn vinegars.
One of the most exotic fruit vinegars is obtained from the fruit of the kiwi.
Wine vinegars, white and red, are obtained from grape wines. The best and most aromatic ones are made from expensive varietal wines such as sherry, champagne and Pinot Gris and, like elite alcohol, are aged in wooden barrels. Condiments are obtained with a complex but mild flavor. Wine vinegars are ideal for marinades, fruit salads and some desserts.
The best balsamic vinegar in the world is obtained from Trebbiano grapes grown in Italy, near the town of Modena. It is aged from 6 to 25 years in barrels made of valuable wood species such as chestnut, juniper, cherry and oak. This type of vinegar can be made from other grape varieties in other parts of the world, but according to connoisseurs, this seasoning does not have the inherent elegance of the original product.
A mild yellow vinegar with a delicate aroma and taste, obtained from rice wine or fermented rice. It is used in soups and noodles, rice for sushi is cooked with it, vegetables and fruits are seasoned with it. The more expensive varieties of rice vinegar - red and black - are more popular in China. Red rice vinegar has a delicate, sweetish aroma, black - pronounced, slightly smoky.
The British favorite malt vinegar is similar to a thick, dark brown ale. The expensive varieties are made from fermented barley, while the cheaper and less flavored versions are made from acetic acid tinted with caramel essence. Popular in Germany and Austria, beer vinegar, with a similar aroma and taste, is made from the drink of the same name.
The hazy and sweet brown vinegar used in Middle Eastern, especially Turkish cuisine is derived from raisins. Rare, but with a great aroma, vinegar is obtained from honey, and one of the most exotic spices of this type is the "Job's Tear" vinegar. It is made from the grains of the tropical plant of the same name.
