Vinegar...s

From time to time, I find myself thinking that life was easier back then. Not during my childhood—no, I hated that part—but a little later, when standing in front of a supermarket shelf meant facing simples choices. Like white vinegar, so strong that a single sip could nearly kill you. And thats it. There were no other tastes or colours to be seen, let alone tasted.

Then, quite suddenly, the world opened up, offering so much new and interesting. I truly believe this wasn’t just a story from my post-Soviet childhood. Life got complicated. Today, we’re faced with an overwhelming variety of vinegars—each with its own name, colour, aroma, and flavour. Vinegar has become something entirely different: a versatile ingredient, with endless variations for both professional chefs and home cooks.

The time when apple cider vinegar was used solely by mixing it with honey and taking it on an empty stomach seems long gone. It no longer carries that harsh, bittersweet taste that once made your face screw up in protest. No—now, delivered from all over the world, it has transformed. It’s become a flavourful element of countless dishes, from chutneys to sauces, and beyond.

Apple vinegars vary in ageing time, aroma, texture, and flavour. They're no longer a single-note product. The number of recipes they can be used in runs into the tens—if not hundreds. It has even got to the state of being something hip. Made from either apple juice or scraps, to which yeast is added, it is fermented into alcohol, which introduced with certain bacteria turns alcohol into acid.

Raspberry—and other berry—vinegars have their own methods of preparation and ageing. The best raspberry vinegars are typically made from three ingredients: fresh raspberries, vinegar, and sugar. Some, however, are made from raspberry juice. The more expensive the vinegar, the more likely it is made with high-quality red or white wine vinegar often aged longer, allowing them to develop more complex flavours and much more pleasure. 

To prepare a 6% raspberry vinegar, the berries are soaked in wine vinegar and left to infuse for a few days (at home, this is usually done in jars; in factories, in large vats). Some producers repeat the soaking process several times to intensify the flavour, and only once aged to perfection, the mixture is combined with sugar—amounts vary depending on the recipe to be gently heated until it becomes aromatic and distinctly red.

A good raspberry vinegar should taste of actual raspberries (not simply vinegar) and be delicious enough to enjoy on its own, bringing pleasure. It pairs beautifully with salad dressings, fruit chutneys, and even desserts like panna cotta, vanilla ice cream, or red berry creams. It works wonderfully with chicken livers, goat’s cheese, figs, raspberries, and mango.

Balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, is probably the world’s most famous vinegar—like so many other Italian products. Winemakers in Modena have been making it for over 900 years and in its earliest days, it was taken as a tonic or given as a token of appreciation.

Interestingly, balsamic vinegar is made not from wine, but from grapes that would otherwise be used to make wine. Its birthplace, the city of Modena in northern Italy, sets strict standards: only grape solids from Modena or Reggio Emilia winemakers may be used, and only four grape varieties are allowed—Trebbiano, Lambrusco, Spergola, and Marzemino.

After pressing, the solids are filtered, and seeds and skins are removed. What remains is boiled slowly over 24 to 30 hours, allowing it to reduce while retaining its grapey aroma. It must not boil too quickly, as rapid heating causes caramelisation, ruining the subtle complexity of flavour. The result is a liquid that’s reduced to roughly one-half or one-third of its original volume. Once cooled, yeast is added, starting the fermentation process.

The label Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena indicates that the vinegar has been prepared according to centuries-old methods—and only in Modena. These are the most expensive balsamic vinegars, with deep flavour and long ageing periods. Bottles marked condimento also represent good quality, made using similar methods but outside the Modena region. For cheaper options, check the ingredients: sugar is often added to mask bitterness in low-quality balsamic vinegars. Real balsamic vinegar should contain only boiled grape solids.

Balsamic vinegar, a good or even an excellent one, tastes nothing like vinegar. It rather enhances the flavour of fresh fruits like pears, strawberries, and raspberries, some fig notes and sometimes even honey. Vinegars aged 3–5 years are great in salads, sauces, and marinades. Aged 6–11 years? Add them to risottos, pastas, or cooked dishes. Vinegars aged 12–15 years and older are best enjoyed as a finishing touch—drizzled over meats, cheese, or even savoured on their own.

Besides its culinary use, vinegar also offers health benefits—assuming you're using a high-quality one. It has antibacterial properties, works as an analgesic and antioxidant, and supports digestion, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. It may also help lower cholesterol, reduce headaches, and even assist with appetite control and weight management.

Nowadays, you’ll find flavoured balsamic vinegars everywhere—raspberry, fig, mango, vanilla, and more—made by infusing traditional balsamic vinegar with other natural ingredients.

Rice vinegar, an essential ingredient in Asian cuisine, changes its characteristics by country. Chinese rice vinegar is usually stronger and may be clear, red, or black. Whereas, Japanese rice vinegar tends to be milder and almost always clear. Then there are some that are slightly creamy. And some more pungent. The fermentation process occurs in two stages—yeast first creates the alcohol, then bacteria convert it into acid.

Red wine and white wine vinegars can range from sharp and basic to beautifully balanced. If you're planning to cook it down for a while, the cheaper kind might do—but for dressings or dishes where vinegar is a star, quality matters (as with every ingredient). Wine vinegars are made by fermenting grape juice and then either finished in a fast way and sold for a low price or taken into a more in-depth process and aged slowly in oak barrels, developing complexity and balance.

In the end, the wide world of vinegars may feel overwhelming—but the most important thing to ask yourself is this: what do you want it for? If you only use vinegar occasionally, go for a small bottle. If you’re using it for salad dressings or final seasoning, buy the best you can afford. If it's purely for boiling, get a cheaper one. But always remember one thing. Every detail counts—and the right vinegar can make a good dish unforgettable.