#1 [The Secret of French Vinegar]

" Three Secrets of Vinegar"

French vinegar is made by fermenting and aging wine or fruit liquor using the bacteria that make vinegar.
In France, it is an essential all-purpose seasoning when eating salads or seafood dishes!

What is vinegar?

Etymology: Vinegar is also called vinegar in English. This word is said to be derived from the French word vinaigré.

Let's take a closer look!

First of all, the "vin" in vinegar means wine in French. And "aigre" means sour. So vinegar is a word that describes sour wine!

Vinegars from various countries

・In German, it's called ESSIG
- In Italian it's aceto
Apparently in Russian it is called UKSUS.

This time we'll introduce you to some secrets about vinegar!

・How vinegar is made

Let's learn how to make vinegar! How to make vinegarWine vinegar is made from grapes.

1. Add wine yeast to the squeezed grapes .
2. Brew the wine mash (similar to the sweet sake).
3.　The brewed wine mash is then added with acetic acid bacteria* and fermented. (The key is to ferment it while exposing it to the air inside the barrel.)
4. Add wine to the vinegar and age it repeatedly for a long period of time.

*Acetic acid bacteria are the bacteria that make vinegar. This is how vinegar is made!

Here's a little bit of interesting vinegar history...

Louis XIV's Plan

In the 17th century, roads in the Kingdom of France were dangerous, so Louis XIV planned to connect all rivers with canals, linking Paris to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and transporting goods from all over the world to Paris.

 In fact, at that time...

Wine was shipped to Paris from France's major wine-producing regions, including Burgundy, the Loire, and the Rhone.
However, at the time, there was no method of preserving wine that could withstand long journeys, and the amount of wine cargo that could not be sold as is increased dramatically.

・But the French don't give up here!

Wine merchants tried to find a solution to this problem, so they began making and selling vinegar and mustard made from wine.
Although initially it did not suit the tastes of the demanding Parisians, after several years of work, new high-quality vinegars were finally born. One of these was the Vinegar of Orleans, which became a huge success as a luxury vinegar brand.


Apparently, by the 18th century, there were over 200 vinegar factories in the Orléans region alone.

so!

Oh, by the way, the Orleans region is roughly the same size as Higashinada Ward, where the town of Okamoto in Kobe is located.

That means it's the same as Tokyo's first district.
I thought it would be wider.

That's right!

I see.
Orleans is famous for its vinegar!

yes!
There are red wine and white wine vinegars, and they have completely different flavors.
please!

Red wine vinegar has a rich, solid flavor, while white wine vinegar is refreshing and fruity.
Both have unique flavors.

Right?
By the way, there are vinegars not only for wine but also for apple cider.
So, do you still want to know the secrets of vinegar?

Is it a secret?
That's a good point. Please tell me!

Vinegar isn't just for flavor!

Thief's Vinegar

In 1720 , during the plague epidemic in Marseille, four men were arrested for attempting to steal a body.

but... 

The police who arrested the thieves were surprised to find that none of them had the plague.

The thieves replied, "We're clever, so we invented a special treatment using vinegar and herbs to prevent infection." What the four thieves created was something like a disinfectant. By applying it to their hands or bodies before touching a corpse, or by drinking it, they could prevent infection. As a result, they were sentenced to death for theft, but the judge was so impressed by their invention that he set them free on bail.

・The miracle vinegar that saved my life (please note that the effectiveness cannot be guaranteed)

To prepare this vinegar: simply steep absinthe with herbs such as rosemary, sage, mint, lavender, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic, and camphor.

Also, this disinfectant may not be effective even if we use it.
Also, I don't think it tastes good as a drinking vinegar.

I see.
That's amazing technology for 300 years ago!

Well, I don't know if the thieves lived long though.

Please don't say that.
I'm sure he lived a long life.
absolute!

Yes, yes.
Now let's change the atmosphere!

Oh! What is it?

Vinegar has a touching story!

Jesus Christ and Vinegar

The crucifixion of Christ is a well-known story.

There was a strange incident in which Roman soldiers gave Christ vinegar to drink to quench his thirst after he was executed on the cross and unable to move.

The soldier soaked a sponge in vinegar and gave it to Jesus to drink, which was not an act of cruelty but a sign of the soldier's mercy.

The Last Judgment (Michelangelo), Sistine Chapel, with symbols of the Passion at the top of the fresco.

Vinegar was commonly seen in ancient Roman markets, and was an essential item for Roman soldiers as it was easy to drink and had a long shelf life.

・Roman-style vinegar drink

Grape vinegar diluted with water and egg yolk added to create a mellow flavor. (Please note that the taste cannot be guaranteed.)

・Roman soldier salad with vinegar dressing

Before battle, soldiers would eat a traditional salad to strengthen themselves: goat cheese, garlic, onion, coriander, and vinegar mixed with olive oil. 

Between the vinegar drink and the salad, I'm already starving.

But I won't let you go yet. By the way, the egg yolk is apparently the key to the sweetness of the vinegar drink I introduced.

Huh.
Does it taste like a milkshake?

What do you think about that?
I personally highly recommend the salad.
It cuts down on salt, is easy to make, and has a refreshing taste that's perfect for this season.
Fruit vinegars, such as lemon, raspberry, and honey vinegar are also good.

・Homemade apple cider vinegar

【 material 】

Apples : including skin, seeds, and core
Sugar : 1 tablespoon per 250cc of water
Cider vinegar : 2 tablespoons
water

[ How to make ]
1. Wash the apples thoroughly to remove any pesticides.
2. Cut the apple into 3-inch pieces (no need to remove the seeds, core, or skin).
3. Fill the container 3/4 full with apples .
4. Add cider vinegar to the sugar water and add until the apples are completely submerged.

Use a small weight to keep the apples from floating to the surface.

5. Stir once a day .

Yeast loves air, so be careful not to create a completely sealed space.

6. Use paper towels and rubber bands to seal the containers .

Keep in a dark, warm place and observe for 2 to 3 weeks.

7. When bubbles appear, you hear a fizzing sound, and the smell of alcohol becomes stronger, remove the apples.
8. Let it age for about a month until it reaches your desired sourness .

Stir and check the condition once every two days.

9. When it has reached the desired sourness, seal the container with the lid.

Storing it in the refrigerator will stop the fermentation.

10. Mix with water or sparkling water for an apple cider vinegar drink.

You can make homemade vinegar.

yes of course!

Um, can I ask you something?

Yes, what is it?

What's that thing on the back of the vinegar bottle?

Like wine, it seems to be more common in things that have been aged for a long time.
It's not harmful to the body so it's fine.
By the way, my French grandmother said that this sediment is proof that the vinegar is delicious, but I wonder if that's true.

What do you think?

The presence of sediment is said to be proof that the vinegar is healthy and contains no unnecessary additives.
However, some sake has sediment but is not very tasty.

I see

I think homemade vinegar is always delicious.
It's filled with the effort that went into making it!

I'll try making it when I get home

Please give it a try!

yeah?

No, anything...

It's weird

Next time, let's learn about "sources."

Are you going to make okonomiyaki?

There's no way that could be true! Seriously...

Sorry

Please look forward to it!