When grapes become red wine vinegar, you get more than a salad dressing staple: The disease-fighting phytochemicals in the fruit may become even more potent during the fermenting process, according to a study from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Other fruits are finding their way into vinegar too; apricot, black currant, and cherry are among the newest varieties.
Fruit vinegars shine on salads, nuts, or blue cheese, and you can use them instead of wine to deglaze a pan.How to cook with them. Top chefs use fruit vinegars as flavor boosters for anything that needs a sharp, clean lift, from a splash of balsamic on roasted butternut squash to a raspberry vinegar glaze over poached pears with vanilla ice cream. They shine on salads with fruits, nuts, or blue cheese, and you can use them instead of wine to deglaze a pan.
How to make your own. You could pay $10 to $55 a bottle for gourmet fruit vinegar in a store, or try this: Just heat store-bought white vinegar to below boiling, toss in a handful of berries, refrigerate, wait a few weeks, then strain.
Learn how to prepare your own fruit vinegars and see serving suggestions. .
