Vinegar
There exists a tiresomely long laundry list of Things the Greeks Invented. Here, then, is something they did not invent: vinegar. The truth is, no one invented vinegar – it invented itself. Any sugary liquid will turn to vinegar when exposed to air.

The ancient Greeks did take wine-making to a new le-vel, showing a technical mastery of its production and developing a sophisticated commercial network for its sale. From good wines come good vinegars.

Vinegar is created by the interaction of aerobic bacteria and alcohol (fermented sugar) when exposed to oxygen. This interaction produces acetic acid. There are no preservatives in vinegar because vinegar is, in and of itself, a preservative. Not only does the (good) stuff taste good, but it is also good for you – and good for cleaning just about anything.

In the Greece of today, vinegar is something of a novelty. Greeks do use vinegar for dressing, but rarely vinegar derived from wine. For topping salads, lemon is the acidic liquid of choice.

But Greeks make wine and, thanks to the Italians, wine vinegar is the most prized, especially Italian Balsamic Vinegar. This type of vinegar was developed during the Middle Ages in Italy, specifically in the areas of Modena and Reggio Emilia. It is a concentrated vinegar with a rich aroma, the finest grades of which have been aged for at least three years (and up to 100 years) in wooden casks.

Like many great, limited-production products (e.g. Vidalia Onions and Silver Queen Corn), popularity affected its quality – and even its existence. Real Italian Balsamic Vinegar became prohibitively expensive and seriously scarce while inferior ersatz Italian balsamic vinegars abounded.

This scarcity of excellent Italian vinegars was a source of chagrin for many food lovers, notably David Rosengarten, a Food Network celebrity, cookbook author, and food authority who has penned articles for such publications as Gourmet, The New York Times, Food & Wine, and The Wine Spectator. To fulfill his need, he went on a quest to fine the best wine-based vinegar he could, the details of which are chronicled on his web site. Here is (an abbreviated version of) what he found:

"I have taken two magical journeys to Greece this year where, among many heart-stopping gastronomic delights, I have stumbled upon some of the very greatest vinegar I’ve ever tasted. The two vinegars I liked best, sure
enough, are not available in the U.S. What maker of non-balsamic vinegar ever wants to go to the trouble of exporting non-balsamic vinegar to America?... One-called Oxos is a killer vinegar I happened upon in an upscale gourmet grocery in Athens… It comes from the well-known wine area of Zitsa, which is near Epirus, in the northwest corner of Greece. The wine that goes into this vinegar is made from local grape varieties; the precious juice is then nurtured through a slow, slow acetification process (in the Orleans method, as developed in France), and then stored for a long time in oak and chestnut barrels… the second, completely different from the first, is made by Gaia Wines (that’s YA-ya) on the fabled island of Santorini by the man whom I consider to be the greatest winemaker in Greece!

For his vinegar, he has chosen to use Santorini wine from the Assyrtico grape-a grape that produces what most experts consider to be the best white wine of Greece, an earthy, long-lived wine that reflects the bizarre volcanic soil of Santorini, and the brain-drilling meltemi, or wind, that whistles through this Homeric-feeling place.

Brilliant winemaker that this guy is, he has come up with a new way to make vinegar: make it two ways, then combine them! The first way is a bit like the balsamic process...the other half of the grapes is turned into a very un-sweet vinegar, using the classic Orleans process. Then...the winemaker marries them, and ages them for five years in 500-liter oak casks. The ultimate vinegar is poured directly from the casks into the bottles, with no filtration or any other treatment."

Because these vinegars were not available in the US, David Rosengarten has formed a club that provides these vinegars to its members. Please visit his website www.davidrosengarten.com for details (and, no, he isn't advertiser). e