There’s more to vinegar than you might think

Most of us have at least one type of vinegar in our pantry, and probably more. We tend to take it for granted, but there are many facets to this pantry staple, explains Harry Rosenblum, author of Vinegar Revival: Artisanal Recipes for Brightening Dishes and Drinks with Homemade Vinegars. 

Rosenblum became fascinated with fermentation at a young age, and has been making his own vinegars for about 14 years. As it is with many foods, the homemade version can spoil you for the commercial products. “Homemade vinegars from beer, wine, cider and fruit will have residual sugars, other acids and lots of flavor compounds,” he says. “[These] create amazing flavor possibilities and elevate your food much more than large scale commercial stuff.”

Vinegar Revival shows us how to use homemade or store-bought vinegar to great effect with recipes for everything from drinks to main dishes to side dishes, and even dessert. Rosenblum also provides instruction on how to create your own vinegars, which can be made from almost anything with sugar in it. “Alongside the classic wine vinegars, you’ll find unusual ones made from sorghum, persimmon, tomato, maple syrup, ramps, grapefruit, or honey,” he writes.