Vinegar is an essential food item for Chinese recipes and can be found in almost every kitchen in the world. But did you know that it is a by-product of wine?
Yes, vinegar is the product of a wine that has gone bad. The word ‘vinegar’ is derived from the French words “vin aigre” that means ‘sour wine’. The process of vinegar formation is similar to that of alcohol formation from grape juice due to yeast. There are bacteria known as “acetobacteria” that consume the alcohol in the wine and create acetic acid.
This acetic acid lends the sharp flavor to vinegar.