USES FOR VINEGAR

Matamata Record, Volume XIX, Issue 1787, 30 November 1936, Page 2

USES FOR VINEGAR

CONDIMENT’S VARIED HISTORY. Vinegar (says an Observer article) has an interesting and varied history. It is among the things which we take so much for granted that we forget that they must have had a lifetime of adventure before ever we took out the stopper of the vinegar bottle. An old list counts 200 kinds of vinegar, 30 mustards, and 35 pickles. The uses of the vinegars were, if not sweet, as varied as those of adversity. One was for the voice, one was for bad teeth, one was for pimples, one was against contagion, one was to remove wrinkles, and one was for whitening the face, and “re-establishing the complexion spoiled by the use of powder and rouge.” One almost thinks there might be a sale for this particular product tp-day. Proud, indeed, was Monsieur Maille when, in 1768, he was appointed sole vinegardistiller and mustard-maker to the King of France. The sapience which produced so many different forms of a seasoning known to the classic world, and never out of use since, is remarkable. Nor is mustard behind it. We all know of the mustard which we use every day, and of one or two aromatic French mustards, and some of as have tasted mustard from other countries, all with their own charm. But we hardly realise with what exactitude the present descendant of the first Monsieur Maille, with true French thoroughness, meets the case. He recommends five kinds, and indicates their usage. As.thus: “Moustarde des trois herbes vertes,” for use with roast beef steak, cold beef, and ham; “Des trois fruits rouges” ... (tofiiato) for sausage, veal, and ham pie and cold pork; “Des trois graines” (tarragon), with beef, veal, lamb and game; “Dijon,” for lamb, pork, saus- j age and roast or grilled beef; and aj special Maille Ora, for fish, cheese, j eggs and salad . ..... 1