Which vinegar for what
All vinegars get their sourness from acetic acid, usually around 5 percent in common table types. What differs is what was fermented. White distilled is clean and sharp, cider is fruity, rice is mild and slightly sweet, and balsamic is dark and syrupy.
Match the vinegar to the job
Pickling needs a vinegar labeled 5 percent acidity, such as distilled white or cider. Delicate dressings suit rice or white wine vinegar. Drizzle aged balsamic on at the end, because cooking it hard turns it into a sticky, flat syrup.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
Which vinegar suits a sweet, syrupy drizzle on strawberries?
Aged balsamic vinegar. Balsamic is dark, sweet and syrupy because it is made from grape must.
True or false: Every vinegar tastes close enough alike to swap into a delicate dressing with no change.
False. Sharp distilled vinegar tastes much harsher than mild rice or wine vinegar.
About what percent acetic acid is in typical table vinegar?
About 5 %. Common table vinegars contain about 5 percent acetic acid.
Fill the blank: The sourness in vinegar comes from ___ acid.
The sourness in vinegar comes from acetic acid. Bacteria turn alcohol into acetic acid when wine or cider ferments further.
What went wrong? You dress delicate butter lettuce with a heavy splash of white distilled vinegar. The salad tastes harsh.
Distilled is sharp, so a milder vinegar suits tender greens. Rice or white wine vinegar is gentler on tender leaves.
You're quick-pickling cucumbers and need reliable acidity. Which vinegar do you use?
Distilled white or cider vinegar labeled 5 percent. A labeled strength gives you predictable acidity.