The Sonomaist makes no bones about being a lover of fine food and wine. I’m certainly not above spending a little extra for the farmer’s market oyster mushrooms or the organic kale every now and again. But reading the latest issue of Bon Appétit, this morning I nearly choked on my Trader Joe’s Brazillian Peaberry (Great coffee, $6.99 a can!)
It was an article about making your own vinegar at home. A noble pursuit to be sure, but not when you’re using an AMAZING Merry Edwards pinot noir to do it…Not once but twice!!! I quote –
“We got started when a friend gave each of us a piece of “mother,” which resembles the Absent-Minded Professor’s flubber, a blob floating in jars with a little wine and water. It’s this mother, the live starter, that transforms wine into vinegar (acetic acid) through alcoholic fermentation and bacterial activity, with an assist from good old oxygen.
We swapped out the canning jars for gallon crocks draped with cheesecloth, which allows air in but blocks out light. Then, with a flourish, we poured a bottle of 2007 Meredith Estate Pinot Noir into each. The more delicious and aromatic the wine, the finer the vinegar, so whatever we’re drinking, we share a glass with our fermenting vinegar.”
This is a $64 (average) bottle of incredible wine. Am I wrong to hate B.A. more than a little right now? Are you with me? Or maybe we should all go back to lighting our Cohibas with 100 dollar bills…
I had to smile when I read this. I started my first batch of homemade red wine vinegar about two weeks ago. However, no Merry Edwards was injured in starting my vinegar! I have been using wines that were just ok or some leftovers that were a day or two past prime drinking. Dump in a bottle of Merry Edwards? I don’t think so!
In my one foray into the world if vinegar making (that ended when the fruit flies became a rather large population bloc in my kitchen) I did the exact same those (rare) leftovers from the night before. Although if B.A. is looking for taste testers, just to make sure what they’re putting in their test kitchen vinegar is up to snuff, sign me up! I can’t wait to hear how your vinegar turns out (somehow I don’t think anyone will be sending their salads back to your kitchen for the lack of Merry Edwards over the Romaine!