ll A GUIDE TO THE MANY TYPES AND THEIR USES AROUND THE HOME JULIE TOWNSEND VINEGAR A GUIDE TO THE MANY TYPES AND THEIR USES AROUND THE HOME JULIE TOWNSEND ~ ARCTURUS fill'* ARCTURUS Arcturus Publishing Limited 26/27 Bickels Yard 151-153 Bermondsey Street London SE1 3HA Published in association with foulsham W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd, The Publishing House, Bennetts Close, Cippenham, Slough, Berkshire SLl 5AP, England ISBN: 978-0-572-03330-9 This edition printed in 2007 Copyright © 2007 Arcturus Publishing Limited All rights reserved The Copyright Act prohibits (subject to certain very limited excep tions) the making of copies of any copyright work or of a substantial part of such a work, including the making of copies by photocopying or similar process. Written permission to make a copy or copies must therefore normally be obtained from the publisher in advance. It is advisable also to consult the publisher if in any doubt as to the legality of any copying which is to be undertaken. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Printed in Malaysia i CONTENTS CHAPIIRONE Acetic acid .................... 70 History of vinegar .•.••• I What can go wrong when making vinegar 72 CHAPIIRlWO Variations on vinegar. ..... 74 Types of vinegar ••••.• 14 White .......................... 15 CHAPTER FOUR Balsamic .•.•...•.............. 18 Pickles and Cider/apple cider .... 24 prtllerwilll •••••••••••••• 76 Malt. ............................. 30 How to piclde ................ 78 Wine ............................ 34 What can go wrong Rice .........•.................... 38 when pickling ................ 82 Flavoured ...•..••........ M Recipes ........................ 86 Fruit .............................. 50 Cane ............................ 54 CHAPTER FIVE Coconut ...•.................... 56 Versatile vinegar ••••.• II Others .....•........•.•.•....... 58 Medicinal vinegar .......... 90 Home and DIY 11 0 CHAPIIR ntREE Kids and animals ........ 132 ttow It's made• ••.•.••.• 60 Beauty and garden ...... 144 Methods ........................ 62 'Mother of vinegar' 66 lnclaK. •••••••••••••••••••• 151 INTRODUCTION The benefits offered by the humble bottle of vinegar remain outstanding - in fact, no other liquid provides tne human race with such an array of useful/ practical, medicinal and appetizing qualities. To investigate the world of Christopher Columbus did, vinegar fully can mean a before reaching the shores wonderful adventure of North America to follow heeding to the hills of the pilgrims tracking down Modena in Italy for apple cider vinegar. Once research into balsamics a done there you would Mt 1 1 Mgue to Orleans, France sail to the Pacific Islands to to sample wine vinegar, bask under palm trees, then crossing the seas with watching sap being drawn pickled cucumbers in a jar from the coconut palms to to fight scurvy as create coconut vinegar. INTRODUCTION Your travels would involve It will provide you with a a trip to Asia- to China wealth of practical tips for exotic oriental dishes, concerning its versatility as to Japan to eat as much a cleaning, beauty, sushi as you could, and to gardening and medicinal Korea to sample its aid as well as many more kimchee, the vinegar uses. And if that is not pickle that accompanies enough, you can always every meal. put yourself 'in a pickle' by learning the principles and Heading to the UK, you properties of vinegar as a could finally put your feet preservative. up and tuck into the old favourite of fish and The only question that chips with a helping of remains is what vinegar malt vinegar or non can not do. If it were not brewed condiment. corrosive to metal, we would probably be fuelling While a world trip is not our cars with it in an possible for most of us, this environmentally friendly book offers you plenty of mixture of energy-releasing food for thought about bicarbonate of soda vinegar, examining the (baking soda) and vinegar. many different types Meanwhile, there is plenty available, how each is of scope for educational made and where they can projects around the home, best be used, with recipes some of them using that included. It traces the exact same concoction. history of the condiment as for as possible, since So enjoy the many, many this universal ingredient properties of vinegar in all seems to have existed its Forms and uses, and always, with no known keep that world trip in 'inventor' to quote. mind for another day. Please remember that this book is for reference only. Consult your doctor about any medical condition first. The tips featured ore home remedies only and every individual will hove a different response to their complaint. HISTORY OF VINEGAR It is not known how vinegar was first discovered or who created it but it is documented in ancient texts from the Sumerians, Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Greeks and the Chinese- and was probably in existence before these eras. The oldest religious texts- in the Old and New Testaments and the Koran 1 - mention the liquia. The prophet Mohammed noted that vinegar is the best of condiments. It is well known that So presumably vinegar exposing alcohol to the wasn1t so much invented by air will turn it into vinegar. our ancestors as created It is also known that by mistake. vinegar can be created from the juices of just It is also safe to say that in about any fruit or grain - ancient times such a it con even be created strong-tasting liquid would with vegetables that are not have been discarded, used to make alcohol. instead a purpose would hove been found for it. It is ironic that in days of old, without hospitals or the medical lif&.soving techniques now available, -:.......lllllll--...;....:;:, our ancestors were far more open to trying and tasting all manner of things as a survival strategy. Today we are so much more cautious, believing that everything we eat