The Magic Natural Vinegar

Health- and environment-friendly.

Dr Abe V Rotor

Vinegar is the most popular food conditioner – for seasoning, marinating, as spice, appetizer, and the like.  Outside of the kitchen vinegar has many uses, from deodorizer to weed killer, sore throat remedy to first aid to insect bite.  

The author's family enjoys Vigan empanada

 dipped in Ilocos natural vinegar

A. Cook with Natural Vinegar

. Firm up gelatin. Add a teaspoon of vinegar for every box of gelatin used to keep those molded desserts from sagging in the summer heat.

· . Boil better eggs. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to each quart of water before boiling eggs, keeps them from cracking.

· When boiling eggs, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water to prevent white from leaking out of a cracked egg and also keep the yolk in the center of the egg,

· Prepare fluffier rice. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when it boils.

· Sour fruits with vinegar. Try eating young tamarind with vinegar and salt, so with  santol. You may add sugar.

· When boiling meat, add a spoonful of vinegar to the water to make it more tender.

· Marinate tough meat in vinegar overnight to tenderize.

· Pickle green papaya, botolan (seeded banana). Add carrot, onion and the like.

. Pickles in natural vinegar will last longer and taste better.

. Cook fish and meat as paksiw.

· Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in a quart of cold water and a tablespoon of vinegar.

· Debug fresh vegetables. Wash leafy greens in water with vinegar and salt. Bugs floats off.

. Use vinegar instead of lemon on fried and broiled foods. It gives a tangy flavor

B. Clean with Natural Vinegar 

· . Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

· Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the brain and add ½ cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water.

· Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.

· Clean and disinfect cutting boards. Wipe with full strength vinegar.

· Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.

· Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.

· Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.

· Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.

· Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox overnight.

· Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar.

· Scale fish more easily. Rub with vinegar 5 minutes before scaling.

· Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

· Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth.

· Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.

· Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of  water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.

· Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered food and deodorize.

· Get rid of cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.

· Mix some vinegar with salt. It will clean dishes, pots, glasses, windows, brass, copper, bronze, pans. Skillets. Rinse well with warm water, 

· Remove the lime deposits. Add vinegar to warm water and soak your tea kettle overnight. This will also work on your glass coffee pot. Put three ounces of vinegar in the pot and fill rest with warm water.

· Wipe jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent mold producing bacteria.

· Clean jars with vinegar and water to remove odor.

· Prevent discoloration of peeled potatoes by adding a few drops of vinegar in water. They will keep fresh for days in the refrigerator. Try this when trimming buko (young coconut). It prevents discoloration. ~