A large clay vat holds black vinegar, a big wooden ladle pours it into a small blue-and-white bowl, a plate of dumplings with scallion and a plate of dressed cucumber sit beside it, and a cloth-covered jar stands behind.
Brewed into vinegar
Introduction
Vinegars brewed from grain or fruit, made by solid-state or liquid fermentation.
Vinegar is a seasoning brewed from grain, fruit or other materials, first fermented to alcohol and then to acetic acid, which is why wine and vinegar are said to share a source. By method it is usually divided into solid-state and liquid fermentation, with black vinegar mostly solid-state and red and white vinegars made by liquid fermentation, white vinegar often from distilled alcohol. It is used to season cooked dishes, to dress cold dishes and as a dip. The sourness of pickled vegetables comes from lactic fermentation and is not vinegar, so pickles belong to Pickles.