Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!

It has been an historical week. I will never forget watching as the Chilean miners and rescuers surfaced from what could have been a dark tomb. What a miracle! Thank God for the brilliant men from Pennsylvania who built the rescue cage that ultimately saved the lives of these brave miners.

But back to the subject at hand...vinegar. Several people have asked me lately what vinegar is actually made from. Quite honestly, I didn't have the answer to that question, so I looked it up.

Here is a rundown of the different kinds of vinegar, how they are made, and what the ingredients are.With the exception of distilled vinegar, all of the vinegars are made using a twofold fermation process.

Apple cider vinegar -- apples and apple juice (no surprise there). That's it. Apples.

Malt vinegar -- barley malt (or other cereals where starch is converted into maltose)

Sugar vinegar -- sugar, syrup or molasses solutions

Wine vinegar -- grapes, peaches and/or berries

As you can see, the ingredients are minimal. but coupled with fermentation, a variety of vinegars are born. In the case of distilled vinegars, an acetic fermentation of dilute distilled alcohol transforms the whole grain alcohol into the vinegar.

Apparently you do not want to rush the fermentation process, as the best vinegars are those which ferment the longest. And when you are using cider vinegars, opt for unfiltered, organic ones that still have the "mother"  in them. This stringy-like substance contains good bacteria and enzymes and, as I mentioned last week, is vital if you are counting on reaping optimal health benefits from ACV.

There are several videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to make your own vinegar, or you can check out the step-by-step instructions on ehow.com, so if you're game, go for it! Let me know how it works out for you.

Keeping it healthy and green with vinegar,

Hana