Vinegar

Malt vinegar is probably the best-known, especially for sprinkling on your fish and chips! Malt vinegar is made from malted barley (as, of course, is whisky), and gets its colour from caramel. The strongest of vinegars, it is used mostly for pickling, and I’ve used it here in a chutney recipe where it helps achieve the right acidity for the ingredients. Don’t use it in basic dressings, as its strength is just too much for salads.

Red and white wine vinegars are the ones to use for most general dressings and purposes. Red wine vinegar is the best. Wine vinegars are allowed to mature slowly in barrels until the vinegars have turned the alcohol into acetic acid. They can be made more swiftly by heating, but this tends to destroy some of the flavours.