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Appropriately taking its name from the French term vin aigre ("sour milk"), vinegar is "made by bacterial activity that converts fermented liquids such as wine, beer or cider into a weak solution of acetic acid (the constituent that makes it sour)," according to our trusty Food Lover's Companion. The puckering liquid has been used for hundreds of years for a variety of purposes, ranging from hair softener to odor-eliminator, beverage ingredient to cleaning product, but today is most prominently used in the kitchen. Here are its most common varieties available today:
- Cider vinegar, which is made from apple cider, from which it garners its vague apple flavor;
- Cane vinegar, which receives a sweeter flavor from its sugarcane base;
- Distilled white vinegar, which is exceedingly bitter due to its high acetic acid contents;
- Fruit vinegar, which adopts its flavors from fruit juices;
- Herb vinegar, seasoned by herb infusions;
- Malt vinegar, a British favorite that uses a base of malted barley;
- Rice vinegar, a popular Japanese and Chinese ingredient made from fermented rice; and
- Wine vinegars, which use red or white wine bases and include balsamic vinegar and sherry vinegar.
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