Vinegars

I use a selection of vinegars in this book. Red-wine vinegar is a favourite. Because many of those available are thin and not very red-wine-flavoured, I urge you to spend a little more and buy a vinegar that bears the hallmark of a good wine – a Bordeaux vinegar, say, or my current favourite, Cabernet Sauvignon. Balsamic is the vinegar of the moment and, again, do spend a little more to get a good-quality product. The older it gets, the better, it tastes – and the more expensive it is to buy – but because of its strength you won’t use it up too quickly. I also like to use good-quality cider vinegar.