November 1st is National Vinegar Day.

While we’ve written about the different types of vinegar, today we’re focusing on rice vinegar, also called rice wine vinegar though it’s not made from rice wine.

Rice vinegar, made by fermenting rice, is the prevalent vinegar in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Basic rice vinegar ranges from colorless to pale yellow. There are also specialized rice vinegars used in cooking particular Chinese dishes.

Compared to cider vinegar, wine vinegar and distilled white vinegar, rice vinegar is less acidic with a delicate, mild sweetness. Tiny amounts of brown sugar and invert sugar are used in its production. A tablespoon has just 2.7 calories, the same as most other vinegars (balsamic vinegar is higher).
 
 
USES FOR RICE VINEGAR

Rice vinegar is used to perk up or heighten flavors—it’s used to flavor sushi rice—while rice wine is used to add depth or sweetness to a recipe.

Rice vinegar can be used in everyday American cuisine, like these foods:

Cocktails. Balsamic vinegar has been used in cocktail recipes for some time. Rice wine vinegar gives a lift to savory cocktails. Try it in Bloody Marys, Dirty Martinis and cucumber-based cocktails. We like cucumber vodka with a splash of rice vinegar.

Marinades. Substitute rice wine vinegar for any other vinegar in marinades.

Pickling. Substitute half of the white vinegar for rice vinegar. If you like the difference (we do!), use 100% next time. You can try it today with quick pickling (pickled vegetables in just 2 hours!).

Salads & Slaws. Substitute rice vinegar in your salad dressing. Because it isn’t as tart as other vinegars, you can use a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio of rice vinegar to oil. Martha Stewart makes her rice vinaigrette with a 1:1 ration plus Dijon mustard, honey and lime juice (recipe). Definitely use it for fruit salad dressings.

Sautés. Add a tablespoon each of rice vinegar and soy sauce to beef, chicken and vegetable stir-frys.

Stir-Frys. Add a splash of rice vinegar for extra flavor. You can make a stir-fry sauce from 1 cup broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, whisked together. For a thick sauce, whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the stir-fry.

Vegetables. Substitute a bit of flavored rice vinegar for butter on cooked vegetables, including baked potatoes and French fries (instead of the traditional malt vinegar). The sprinkle-tops on Nakano bottles make this easy.
 
 
NAKANO RICE VINEGARS

Nakano, currently, the #1 selling rice vinegar in the U.S., has a line of natural (no sugar added) and organic rice vinegars. In addition to the classic (plain) varieties, we’re especially attracted to the flavored vinegars, in:

 
The flavored varieties include “splash bottles”—a perforated top under the cap—to shake vinegars on fish, meat, salads, vegetables and anything else that needs a hit of flavor.

The line is certified kosher by OU, and is available nationwide. FOR MORE INFORMATION visit NakanoSwaps.com.
 
 
NAKANO RICE VINEGAR

TYPES OF VINEGAR

THE HISTORY OF VINEGAR

HOW VINEGAR IS MADE
 
 
RECIPE: NUTMEG NANNY’S CITRUS CHICKEN SALAD (Photo #3)

Ingredients For The Chicken

[1] Natural and Original rice vinegars. Natural is made without the traditional bit of sugar (photos courtesy Nakano).

[2] Two of the flavored rice vinegars: Roasted Garlic and Citrus (photos courtesy Nutmeg Nanny).

[3] Chicken salad with arugula, avocado and grapefruit in a rice vinegar vinaigrette, from Nutmeg Nanny. The recipe is below.

Salmon in a ginger-orange marinade with rice vinegar (photo courtesy What To Cook Today).

 
For The Salad Dressing

 
Preparation

1. HEAT 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy skillet until very hot. Quickly sear the chicken on both sides. Pour orange juice and rice vinegar over the chicken; continue cooking over high heat until juice is evaporated and the chicken is glazed.

2. TURN the chicken once or twice during cooking. When chicken is fully glazed and cooked through…

3. REMOVE it from the heat and let cool while preparing the salad.

4. MAKE the salad dressing and set aside. SLICE the avocado and set aside. Slice the chicken. Combine the other salad ingredients and toss with the vinaigrette. Place in a large bowl or on individual plates.

5. ARRANGE the chicken and avocado slices atop the salad and serve.
 
 
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[2] Even easier option: Buy the eggnog and add your own spirits (photo courtesy Hood Dairy).

“Eggnog season” conventionally runs from Christmas season through the New Year. But why not celebrate before then with pumpkin eggnog, from the harvest season through Thanksgiving?

You can start tonight, Halloween.

The easiest path is to purchase a carton of pumpkin eggnog from Hood, Meadow Gold and other brands (photo #2).

But in just five minutes, you can make your own (photo #1). Just add the ingredients to a blender and blend away.

If you don’t want a drink with eggs, consider a pumpkin milkshake or smoothie. There are recipes galore online.
 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN EGGNOG

This eggnog recipe serves four in 6-ounce glasses. For “just a nip,” You can serve a smaller portion with after-dinner coffee.

If children are participating, make the recipe without the spirits; then add the bourbon or rum to individual cups.

Eggnog is one of 12 popular recipes that use raw eggs. If you are concerned about salmonella, check out pasteurized eggs.

We adapted this recipe from one by Kitchen Gidget.
 
Ingredients For 3 Cups/4 Servings

1. ADD the eggs to a blender and process on medium speed for 1 minute. While still processing, slowly add the sugar and blend for 1 additional minute.

2. ADD the remaining ingredients with the blender on slow; then switch back to medium until thoroughly combined. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired (more spice [cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg], more pumpkin purée).

3. TRANSFER to a pitcher and move to the refrigerator to chill. Before serving, whisk briefly. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF EGGNOG

Eggnog, also spelled egg nog, is a descendant of the milk-and-wine punches that had long been part of European celebrations.

When the colonists arrived in the Americas, they had access to rum from the Caribbean. It was an even better (and stronger) alternative to the wine.

Eggnog became a popular wintertime drink throughout Colonial America (President George Washington was quite a fan).

Here’s more history of eggnog.
  

Matzo, variously translated from Hebrew as matzoh, matza, matzah, matztzah and other spellings, is a 3,000-year-old accidental recipe.
 
 
SOME MATZO HISTORY

As anyone who knows the story of Exodus will remember, in the time of Moses, Egypt’s pharaoh* finally agreed after much appealing, and then the 10 plagues, to let the enslaved children of Israel go.

The Israelites left their homes so quickly that they didn’t have time to bake bread for the journey. Instead of waiting hours for the dough to rise, they made an unleavened mixture of flour and water that baked up flat.

Later, as they celebrated Passover, the commemoration of the Exodus, unleavened matzo was designated the only bread permitted during the eight-day observance.

The dry, flavorless quality bothers some observant Jews, then and now. Passover matzo is just flour and water, no salt. (That said, matzo tastes similar to Carr’s water crackers, a popular specialty cracker.)

It’s no surprise that the Hebrew word matztzah (plural matztzoth), literally means “juiceless.” (In English it’s also spelled matza, matzo, and matzoh, among other transliterations from the Hebrew.)

> The history of matzo ball soup.
 
 
MODERN MATZO

We are one of the group of eaters who loves matzo and eats it year-round (in addition to other crunchy flatbreads like lavash and Swedish crispbread).

One can now find year-round options from companies like Manischewitz, Streit’s, and Yehuda that include ancient grains, egg, and onion; are unsalted, lightly salted, whole wheat, or gluten-free.

They’re a step up from saltless matzo, but a great leap forward has been made by The Matzo Project, a line of delightfully flavorful matzos.
 
 
ENTER: THE MATZO PROJECT

The Matzo Project was conceived by a woman who had been contemplating improving the flavor of matzo for nearly 20 years. She casually mentioned it to a friend one day and boom! The duo set out to improve “the culturally beloved, but traditionally flavorless box of matzo.”

They have succeeded grandly, producing super-crunchy, extra-sturdy, very flavorful matzo boards and crackers in:

 
Each flavor is more delicious than the next, in:

 
New items will be available soon, including Smatzo, and s’mores matzo crackers.

The line is certified OU kosher and has a spokesbubbe (grandma spokeswoman), whose presence and advice enliven every package. Here’s ours:

You don’t have to be Jewish to love The Matzo Project. You just have to love a crunchy, yummy cracker.

[2] The matzo is made in both convention boards and crackers.

[3] Who needs a bagel? Heap cream cheese and smoked salmon on Everything matzo.

[4] Instead of a gingerbread house for the holidays, build a matzo house.

The flavors work as everyday crackers, with cinnamon sugar substituting for a cookie with a cup of coffee or tea.

Cinnamon Sugared also is delicious for a cheese dessert with goat cheese. And Everything goes with…just about everything.

All the flavors can be eaten straight from the bag as simple snacks or served with ingredients both humble (hummus) and luxurious (canapés, smoked salmon).

Buy them online at MatzoProject.com or find a retailer near you.

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*The Bible does not name the pharaoh, but scholars place Thutmose II as the pharaoh at the time of the Exodus.
 
 

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