Image Up Advertising & Design

LISTEN - CARE - SHARE Submitted by Linda Weiss Resident From the book of e Little Book of Kindness by Hardie Grant It is easier to pass on love and Kindness when you have received tons of both, but it is not a prerequisite to being kind. In fact, being kind is crucial if you are going to enter the eternal circle of kind-giver and kind-receiver. If anger, resentment and revenge have not produced the results you were hoping for, give kindness a change. 14 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2024 EXPLORING VINEGAR By Clare Mendez, Resident Last month I wrote an article on cooking oils which prompted me to find this article on vinegar. Much of what you are about to read is information from Cook's illustrated, July and August 2023. Aside from staples such as oil and salt, you most likely have at least one bottle of vinegar in your kitchen cabinet. e word vinegar translates to wine "vin" and "aigre" sour. Its first recorded use was by the Babylonians around 5000 BCE. As people discovered their wine turned sour it took on a different, yet delicious flavor. Although acid is the end result of the vinegar making process, the flavor can be altered with fruits and grains. Distilled white vinegar is usually 95% ethanol distilled from barley or corn. It is distilled to remove its color and character, leaving behind very little except acetic acid and water. Its high acidity and neutral flavor makes it a great candidate for pickling and is commonly used for cleaning. Malt vinegar is made from barley. It's a beer-like alcoholic liquid minus the hops. Malted barley, or barley that's allowed to sprout, is mashed with water to make "wort" and is fermented so the sugar converts to alcohol and then is put into vats to increase surface area for bacteria to grow. Malt vinegar's most common use is as a seasoning for fried fish and chips to balance the richness of the starch. Rice vinegar is made from rice wine. Koji, a mold cultured from steamed rice, converts starches into rice alcohol. is white rice vinegar is typically produced in Asian countries. Unseasoned rice vinegar is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine such as stir-fries or cold dishes such as cucumber salad. ere are four types of wine vinegar: red, white, champagne, and sherry. Champagne vinegar is not made from sparkling wine but rather with white wine made from Champagne grapes. Sherry vinegar is made from aged white wine fortified with brandy. Wine vinegars are a popular choice for vinaigrettes and classic French sauces. Balsamic vinegar starts with boiled down grape juice also known as "must." Most balsamic vinegars sold in the United States are a combination of wine vinegar, grape must, and sometimes caramel coloring. Tasters described the high-end balsamic as very glossy and thick with a subtle dried fruit smell. Balsamic vinegar is a popular choice for vinaigrettes adding depth of flavor. Apple cider vinegar and apple vinegar is sourced, obviously, from apples and depending what fruits are native to the area can also include sugar from berries, dates, or persimmons, for example. Tasters noticed that unfiltered apple cider vinegar had more complexity than the filtered versions while a filtered apple cider vinegar had a more subtle apple flavor. anks to acid, vinegars have a virtually indefinite shelf life. It can evolve in color and grow gelatins, especially when exposed to light and heat, for that reason, it's not a bad idea to store vinegar in a cool, dark place, but refrigeration is not necessary.

• Cover