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For many millenniums people of all cultures have used some type of vinegar. Vinegar is made by a fermentation process. Since vinegar is literally translated from the French language as "sour wine," we know exactly what it is. Sugars from the grape, grain or fruit, are broken down by bacteria and yeast. When the sugars are released, they will further break down into alcohol, and then later to vinegar. The main ingredient in vinegars is acetic acid. Vinegar also contains other acids, vitamins, mineral salts and amino acids. When you use apples to make a wine or cider, than let it sour, you've got yourself a bottle of apple cider vinegar.

The versatility of apple cider vinegar is quite vast. It can be used in just about everything, including: meat dishes, salad dressings, baked goods, pickling, potato salad, deglazing pans, marinates, perking up foods, and old-school American vinegar pie, and as a substitute for lemon juice and giving you a clean bright flavor. Apple cider vinegar has a clean, crisp, sweet, slightly tangy flavor, which pairs it well with so many types of foods. Some people even use a 1 part apple cider vinegar and 1 part water mixture in a spray bottle to help control flare-ups while grilling.

To understand the flavors and the uses of apple cider vinegar, here are a few recipes to experiment with. You will be amazed the the extra flavor layer that apple cider vinegar can provide.

Apple and Fennel Salad:
C Apple Cider
3T Olive Oil
1 t. Honey
2 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 large Granny Smith Apple
1 Fennel bulb
2 C. Arugula
C toasted, chopped Walnuts.

Mix together the apple cider, olive oil, honey and apple cider vinegar. Toast the walnuts in an oil free pan, until fragrant, let them cool, and coarsely chop them. Core, peel the apple. Then thinly slice both the apple and the fennel. Add the arugula, and of the walnuts. Toss the salad with the dressing, and add the extra walnuts for garnish.

Maple Pork Chops:
6 Pork Chops about 3/4" thick
1C Cran-Apple Juice
1/3 C Maple Syrup
2T Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Red Apples

Cook the chops in a pan, or on the grill until they are thoroughly cooked, remove from the pan or grill. Core, peel and slice the apples. In a pan add the cran-apple juice, maple syrup and vinegar. Heat on medium-high until it is at a simmer. Add the apples and cook until almost soft, and add the pork back into the pan, until heated through. Serve and enjoy.

Marinaded Pounded Chicken:
To make the marinate you'll need:
2 C. Apple Cider Vinegar
C. Honey
2 T. Sherry Vinegar
1 C. White Wine
2 T. Corn Oil
C Tomato Paste
2 T toasted Cumin, ground
2 T toasted Coriander, ground
1 t Black Pepper
1 t Red Pepper Flakes
2 t Sea Salt
3 cloves of Garlic
C. chopped Onion
3 T Dijon mustard.

You can use any cut of chicken in this marinade. It will all be delicious. Pound your chicken flat and marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably over night. The longer it sits in the marinade, the better it will taste. I wouldn't go over 24 hours if you could help it. The vinegar acids will begin to dissolve the meat. Grill on high for 8 minutes or until completely cooked. Turn the meat once so it will cook all over.

There are so many ways to use apple cider vinegar. Try these recipes, I doubt you'll be disappointed. You may also want to try pouring apple cider vinegar over roasting lamb. Its delicious, especially when you combine it with honey. When the lamb is done, remove the meat. Place the pan on your burners on medium-high. Add thinly sliced onions and more vinegar and honey mixture to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bits of the bottom, and you've got a wonderful sauce. What other delectable uses can you come up with?

Learn more about this author, Nicole M. Myers.
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