On Food and Cooking

alcohol content, around 68% and nearly double the strength of most spirits. Absinthe remains l ...

Apicius, often enjoyed vinegar in combination with honey. Pliny said that “no other sauce serves so well ...

essential roles of microbes and oxygen in the traditional Orléans process (p. 773). Modern methods for growing baker ...

“dissociated” forms coexist side by side, in proportions that are determined by their chemical surroundings. ...

steeping herbs and spices in them, and why vinegar can help remove greasy films from various surfaces. Food W ...

use alcohol as an energy source. Their metabolism of alcohol leaves behind two by- products, acetic acid and water. ...

strong enough to prevent the vinegar solution itself from spoiling. Above 5% alcohol, the resulting vinegar wil ...

where spoiled barrels of Bordeaux and Burgundy wine on their way to Paris were identified and ...

bacteria cling. This greatly increases the effective surface area of the wine, and regularly e ...

causes the acetic acid molecules to dissociate, and diminishes its aroma. After Fermentation After fermentation ...

distinctive, because they’re made with different starting materials, and may or may not be matured in wo ...

vinegars undergo a malolactic fermentation (p. 730) that may augment aroma while softening acidit ...

may produce off-flavors. This possibility is minimized by starting with a cultured yeast and a vinegar ...

Asian Vinegars Asian rice and grain vinegars are made from grains whose starch is broken down to sug ...

pickles, salad dressings, and mustards. Distilled Vinegars Distilled vinegar in the United States is whit ...

used. Balsamic Vinegar True balsamic vinegar, aceto balsamico, is a vinegar like no other: almost black ...

Traditional balsamic vinegar is applied by the drop to a variety of dishes, from salads and grilled meats a ...

cherry, juniper), which are kept in an attic or other location where they’re exposed to the variations and e ...

simultaneously converts a portion of the abundant grape sugars into alcohol, and that alcohol into acetic ...

traditional grade, and are far less concentrated and fine-flavored. The better mass-produced vinegars include some c ...