Terra Americana

From Persia to Peoria to Peking, vinegar is both bottled and used throughout the world.  Although it’s creation is not documented, it is believed to be the result of a bad batch of wine.  While most of us think of grapes when we think of vinegar, it can be the product of any number of fruits and grains.  In the Philippines recipes wil call for coconut vinegar, the Japanese use rice vinegar and in the British Isles most pantries will stock apple cider vinegar.

Vinegar has a wide variety of household uses, for which you would use a very inexpensive white vinegar.  This is the most common vinegar found and it is made from distilled corn.  It has a very sharp and bitter taste and is really best used for such purposes as the following:

1. Mixed with salt, it is an excellent all purpose cleaner for copper, brass, and bronze.  Use plain white vinegar for stainless steel and chrome.
2. To remove film and spots from glasses and dishes, soak them in vinegar and water.
3. To prevent grease build up in your oven or to fight mildew, dust and odors on your walls, wipe them down with plain white vinegar.
4. ½ tsp of white vinegar to a quart of plaster makes it harden at a slower rate.
5. Mix boiling vinegar and soapy water to clean paint brushes.
6. To unclog drains, pour boiling vinegar down them.
7. Clean fireplace bricks and rug stains with undiluted vinegar.
8. To remove the lime coating in your tea kettle add vinegar to the water and let it sit overnight.    
9. Wipe pet’s coats with vinegar to remove skunk odor.
10. Add it to your laundry rinse water to remove excess soap and prevent yellowing.

Great Ideas for Vinegar:

• Blueberry Vinegar Cookies

• Uses for Nasturtium Vinegar

• How to instantly age supermarket balsamic vinegars

• Honey Mustard Dressing

Photo Credit: Julie T Cecchini