FOOD THE BITTER TRUTH

Vinegar has traditionally been the drudge of the pantry. Handy for cleaning windows, polishing patent leather, and clearing clogged drains, useful for preserving and pickling, its only real culinary time to shine was in the salad course. But during the recent food revolution, this kitchen Cinderella wound up at the ball. Instead of the medicinal-looking bottles we used to see on the grocery shelf, there are rows of tall, elegant bottles holding jewel-colored fluids. Vinegar variations are countless-raspberries, blueberries, plums, and peppercorns are all used to flavor vinegar. Imported mall, sherry, champagne, and sake vinegars are available everywhere. New American chefs like Steven Singer, who is executive chef at Sfuzzi and was executive chef at Dallas’s Beau Nash for almost two years, have found vinegar’s fragrant acidity a light alternative to complicated sauces and are using it on everything from chicory to chicken.

Experimenting chefs like Singer have rediscovered vinegar’s versatility. Its culinary role has not always been confined to playing the lightweight option to Thousand Island. Traditional dishes like German sauerbraten set a precedent for braising meats in vinegar; its affinity for fish has long been recognized both by the British, who shower their fish and chips with malt vinegar, and by the Japanese, whose sushi is inseparable from the sweet-tart taste of rice vinegar. Thrifty early American cooks found vinegar a tangy substitute for fruit’s fresh acidity.

Vinegar is mentioned in the Bible as often as bread and wine; the Romans diluted it with water to make a portable beverage for soldiers on the march; by the Middle Ages, vinegar was believed to ward off the dreaded plague. Cleopatra may have been the most innovative chef to use vinegar-after wagering that she could consume a million sis-terces (money) at one sitting, she dissolved pearls in vinegar and drank them.

The rule of thumb in vinegar-making is the longer it takes, the better it tastes. The best technique for making vinegar is called, appropriately, the “slow process.” Not surprisingly, it was developed in France, the wine capital of the world, and is also known as the “Orleans method,” after the city where it originated. By this process, three parts wine and two parts unpasteurized vinegar are fermented naturally with the vinegar yeast bacteria known as the “mother” in wooden kegs; it takes anywhere from four to twelve weeks for the vinegar to reach the proper level of acidity, between 4 percent and 6 percent. Then the vinegar is drawn off, filtered, pasteurized, and bottled. Like all good things, vinegar made by this time-consuming process is more expensive than that made by speedier methods. But the heat and chemicals that make other processes more efficient also destroy the flavor and fragrance of the original wine, resulting in a harsh-tasting vinegar.

Perhaps the best vinegar of all takes the longest to make. Aceto balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, has become a favorite with chefs who appreciate its unique quality. Made only in the north Italian region of Modena. the amber fluid inspires rhapsodies of Proustian taste-memories from those who grew up familiar with its distinctive flavor or who first tasted it in the native cuisine.

Making balsamic vinegar is more complicated and time-consuming than making regular vinegar, and every detail of the ancient process is steeped in tradition. The juice of sweet white trebbiano grapes is boiled down to a syrup, then slowly and carefully fermented. As it ferments, the juice journeys through a series of wooden casks, diminishing in volume and increasing in flavor as it ages. There is more sugar in the wine than the yeasts can consume, so the resulting vinegar is honey-sweet, with a complex nose like fine wine. The fermentation and aging of family-made balsamic vinegar can take generations; even commercial varieties age five to ten years, but the final. deep-colored vinegar is unlike any other. Its tartly spicy flavor is so rich and mellow that the Moden-ese actually drink it as an aperitif.

But it’s not as a beverage that vinegar has become a best-seller in this country. Rather, it is prized as a flavor-intensifier. Singer, whose tight. Italianate style of cooking relies on balsamic vinegar as an essential seasoning, explains: “I’ve been using it for years because its low acidity and fruitiness enhance the flavor of so many foods. Lately. I’ve been macerating strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries in balsamic vinegar with a few peppercorns and serving the fruit over ice cream. It’s different-the vinegar points up the freshness of the fruit-and very good.”

Any fine vinegar adds an elegant piquancy to a dish; a tablespoon or so can add sparkle to hot or cold vegetables, pick up the flavor of soups, stews, and sauces, and tenderize meats and poultry. Vinegar is also an excellent medium for imparting other flavors, such as herbs and fruit, to food. You can make the best ones yourself by covering sprigs of fresh herbs-tarragon, salad bur-net, basil, and thyme work well-with wine vinegar and letting the mixture stand in a warm place for a week or so. Steep chilies a little more-about ten days-and garlic a little less-about twenty-four hours. Steep fruit in white wine vinegar, strain, and bottle. You can experiment with flavorings-pinon makes a retsina-like vinegar, good with Southwestern and Middle Eastern cuisine, and Singer likes using nasturtium flowers, which give the vinegar a peppery bite. The first recipe that follows is from Sfuzzi: the second two recipes are from Beau Nash.



Balsamic Vinegar-Sage Sauce For Veal

1 bunch sage (leaves chopped; retain stems)

4 oz. balsamic vinegar

2 shallots (minced)

3 oz. butter

8 oz. veal stock

4 oz. red wine

salt

cracked black pepper

In a large 2-quart saucepan, melt 1 oz. of butter on medium high heat. Cook shallots with sage stems for two minutes. Add vinegar. Reduce vinegar volume by three quarters.

Add wine and reduce volume by one half on high heat. Add veal stock and reduce until the mixture reaches sauce consistency. Remove from heat.

Add remaining butter slowly until incorporated, whisking constantly. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Add sage leaves and serve with veal liver, veal chop, or any grilled red meat.



Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing With Fresh Herbs

4 oz. balsamic vinegar

8 oz. olive oil (extra virgin)

2 cloves garlic

1 t. thyme leaves fresh

1 t. oregano leaves fresh

1 t. basil black pepper salt

2 shallots minced

Crush garlic cloves and shallots in a large mixing bowl. Add vinegar. Let steep one to two hours for full flavor. Whisk in oil and herbs. Add salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

Fresh Bocconcini Cheese, Sweet Garlic, Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes, and Basil on Grilled Sourdough Bread

8 Bocconcini cheese balls (fresh mozzarella)

4 slices of sourdough bread 1/2-inch thick-4 inches round

8 cloves of garlic (peeled)

2 red peppers

2 yellow peppers

4 Roma tomatoes (ripe)

1 bunch of basil (julienne)

1 head of radicchio

1 bunch of arugula

extra virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

black pepper, course ground or fresh grind

Brush bread with olive oil and grill or toast until golden brown. Roast garlic in a 350° oven for seven to eight minutes or until soft and brown. Mash garlic with the back side of a fork in a small bowl and add 1 I. of olive oil. Spread mixture evenly on bread.

Separate leaves of radicchio and place four leaves on each plate. Place bread on top of leaves. Slice each tomato and cheese ball into four slices and arrange on top of bread.

Divide peppers into four equal portions and spread over radicchio leaves. Sprinkle bread, cheese, and tomato with oil and vinegar (liberally) and basil, Garnish with arugula and grind pepper over the top.