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By PAUL SLOCA
Associated Press Writer
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -Lawrence Diggs believes in sour power. His mantra: a
truly good wine can make a truly great vinegar.
Vinegar has been his passion for the better part of the last 12 years. He's
written a vinegar book, composed a vinegar song and tossed around a few
other ideas along the way.
Now the 48-year-old San Francisco native, who moved to Roslyn, a town of
400 people in the northeastern corner of South Dakota in 1989, is trying
to bring sour to the people.
The self-proclaimed Vinegar Man has created what he says is the first vinegar
club, known as Vinegar Connoisseurs International. It is, he says, the Grand
Central Station for vinegar information and has more than 50 members, including
a couple of devotees from Australia.
Diggs has been passionate about vinegar since 1984 and believes it has universal
appeal.
"I would say that vinegar is one of the most common man-made substances
there is. It's universal in terms of its usage, it's in all kinds of cultures
and religions," Diggs said. "If you were to try to find another
man-made substance that is as common to all people as vinegar, you'd be
hard pressed."
He has made it a personal mission to spread the word.
"They need to have an idea out there, and I see myself as kind of the
Johnny Appleseed of vinegar. I have to go around telling people about vinegar,"
Diggs said.
Vinegar, from the French word for sour wine, is much more than that. It's
used in household cleaners and plastics as well as on salads or for pickling.
It has been around since ancient times, Diggs said.
Vinegar is produced by acetic acid fermentation of any of the numerous dilute
alcoholic liquids. When the liquids are exposed to air, the alcohol gradually
changes to acetic acid. Materials as diverse as grapes, apples and beer
can be used to make vinegar.
Vinegars also range from the common, like wine vinegar used for salads,
to balsamics, which are native to a specific part of Italy and considered
the champagne of vinegars - with a price to match. A good balsamic can go
for $30 an ounce, according to Diggs.
Diggs has more than 30 types of vinegar at his home. He also has medical
studies on the substance and a copy of Louis Pasteur's original writings
and drawings on vinegar.
Pasteur, better known for his milk pasteurization process, may have been
the first Vinegar Man, Diggs said.
"He actually spent his money making wines and part of that was his
original study on vinegar bacteria which was destroying the wine,"
Diggs said. "Actually he did some of the first scientific studies,
if not the first scientific studies, on the vinegar bacteria and how to
make good bacteria."
Diggs believes people are becoming more conscious of vinegar choices, evidenced
by more types of vinegar available in supermarkets. According to Progressive
Grocer magazine, retail vinegar sales in the United States were $121 million
in 1993 and $130 million in 1994.
"All they have to do is go into their supermarket and look at the vinegar
shelf and realize that even in small towns they have four or five kinds
of vinegar and people are starting to recognize that vinegar is not only
important for pickling," Diggs said.
Diggs is upbeat about the future of his new club and of vinegar. And on
a pleasantly sour note, he professes his enthusiasm in song:
"There goes the vinegar man, to make other vinegar fans/There goes
the vinegar man, to make other vinegar lands."
By BARBARA ALBRIGHT
For AP Special Features
Vinegar is one of our oldest seasonings, discovered by accident about 10,000
years ago when some wine was left too long and turned sour.
Since that time, vinegar has been produced from molasses, sorghum, fruits,
honey, maple syrup, vegetables, malt, grains and whey. But the procedure
for making vinegar is still the same: natural sugars are fermented to alcohol
and then they are fermented to vinegar.
More and more specialty vinegars have arrived in the marketplace, their
appeal being that they can add an intriguing, piquant flavor to foods without
adding any fat.
A splash of an appropriately flavored vinegar can add extra zing when you
are finishing up soups, stews, main dishes or vegetables. It's also easy
to make your own bottled herb vinegars, great for gift-giving as well as
for seasoning your own foods.
To make herb vinegar, you need a bottle(s) and tight-fitting cork(s). Catalogs
and kitchen supply stores offer a wide selection of bottles. You also need
fresh herbs - either homegrown or from the produce section of grocery stores.
If you are unsure of what herb you have, rub it between your thumb and forefinger
and take a sniff to identify the herb by its aroma.
Sterilize the corks and bottles before using. Wash the bottles with hot
soapy water and rinse well. Put the bottles in a pot that is large enough
to hold the bottles and enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a
boil, add the corks and boil for 15 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove
the bottles and corks from the water, letting all the water drain out.
Meanwhile, in a noncorrosive saucepan, heat the vinegar until it is hot,
but not boiling. (You can determine how much vinegar you need by first using
a liquid measuring cup to figure out how much water is necessary to fill
the bottles.) If desired, you can also heat the vinegar in a microwave oven.
Place one or two sprigs of your selected herb into each bottle. If necessary,
use a skewer to help with the task. Use a sterilized funnel and pour the
hot vinegar into the bottle. Seal the bottle with a cork. Label the bottle
with the date it was filled and let it stand for a couple of days before
using. As the vinegar stands, it will develop a stronger flavor. Once the
vinegar absorbs some of the flavor, but before it becomes bitter, remove
the herbs. If desired, add a fresh sprig to the cool vinegar for decoration.
Store the vinegar in a cool dark place at a low temperature. If the cork
pops or there is any doubt in your mind whether your homemade vinegar is
good or not, throw it out! Bottles can be washed, sterilized and reused,
but corks need to be replaced.
The Basic Vinegars
While there are more and more vinegars available, here are the basics that
you might want to use when making your own herb vinegars:
Wine Vinegars: These are made from red and white wines that are aged in
oak containers. There are almost as many types of wine vinegars as there
are types of wines. Balsamic vinegar, a popular mellow variety, is made
from unfermented grape juice that is aged in wooden casks.
Cider Vinegar: This uses the same fermentation techniques as wine vinegar,
but is made with apple pulp or cider.
Rice Vinegar: It is made from sour and fermented rice wine and is popular
in Asian cuisines.
White distilled vinegar is also widely available and is made from ethyl
alcohol. As it is very strongly and sharply flavored, it is probably not
the best choice for making herb vinegars, but is well-suited for pickling.
Vinegar and Herb Partners
There is an endless variety of herbs from which to chose. For extra flavor,
include sliced or flattened garlic cloves and peppercorns. Here are a few
combinations to get you started:
-Chives and rice vinegar;
-Basil and balsamic vinegar;
-Chervil and white-wine vinegar;
-Oregano and red-wine vinegar;
-Italian Vinegar: basil, garlic and red-wine or balsamic vinegar;
-Tarragon and cider vinegar;
-Sage and white-wine vinegar;
-Dill, peppercorns and white-wine vinegar;
-Scarborough Fair vinegar: parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and red-wine vinegar.
In addition to being used for flavoring and pickling, vinegars are perfect
in marinades as they tenderize meats. Following is an easy recipe for a
marinade made with balsamic vinegar. Try it with some of your homemade versions!
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Use the mixture to marinate
1 1/2 pounds of beef, pork, lamb or poultry for a least 1 hour or overnight
in the refrigerator. (Tip: Use a heavy-duty plastic bag or a double thickness
of regular plastic bags to hold the marinade and the meat or poultry.)
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Recipe from: Grey Poupon.