Whether it’s a splash of pickle juice in my Bloody Mary, a
squeeze of lime over stir fry, or a drizzle of vinegar to round out a soup or
sauce, I love using vinegar and other acidic ingredients in my cooking. I’ve
mentioned this before, but oftentimes people will add salt when a dish is
lacking flavor when really acid is what the dish needs.
It’s a good idea to have a variety of vinegar in your
pantry, as they lend themselves to different applications. These are the
varieties I always keep on hand.
Distilled white vinegar is a colorless, highly acidic
vinegar. While it may not be the best choice to cook with, it can be used both
in and out of the kitchen. Dilute it with water to clean produce of wax, dirt
and chemicals. A splash of this highly distilled vinegar can also be added to
simmering water when poaching an egg to help coagulate the whites.
Red and white wine vinegars are made in one of two ways—by
adding a bacterial “mother,” or by processing it through an aeration machine
with bacteria. Both methods feed the wine and convert alcohol sugars into acid.
Both varieties have a crisp, light taste, with white wine vinegar having a
slightly sweeter profile. These varieties lend themselves particularly well to
making vinaigrettes.
Apple cider vinegar is best purchased unfiltered to maintain
its fruity flavor and healthful benefits. Its flavor is less harsh than other
varieties, but it still has a sweet acidic kick. A versatile vinegar, it can be
used in anything from vinaigrettes to tart, refreshing beverages and marinades.
Balsamic vinegar has one of the most complex flavor profiles
due to being aged in wooden barrels until it becomes sweet and syrupy. Many
less expensive varieties bypass the aging process and achieve a likeness by
adding colors and sweeteners. Balsamic vinegar works great in a vinaigrette,
but try an authentic variety drizzled over grilled fruit and paired with
mascarpone cheese for a savory and unexpected dessert.
Sherry vinegar, like balsamic, is also aged in barrels, but
not for as long and with sherry rather than red wine. The result is a toasty,
warm and slightly sweet vinegar that pairs well with savory cooking. I reach
for this bottle to deglaze a pan, further intensifying the caramel flavors, or
to round out the flavors in a soup or sauce.
Rice vinegar is commonly known as the seasoning in sushi
rice, but it has other uses as well. Rice is steamed, combined with yeast and
fermented, and then aerated to create this variety of vinegar. Its origins make
it suited for Asian cuisine—I like using it in stir fry sauces, or to lightly
season raw vegetables to top a bowl of ramen. It is sold both seasoned and
unseasoned, but I tend to opt for the latter so that I have more control over the
end flavor.
