Spice up your life by brewing VINEGAR

(It’s the trendy new health tonic)

SOMETHING strange has been brewing on my kitchen counter for the past couple of months. The fermenting liquid inside the hexagonal pot has permeated the house with an odd, solvent-like smell.

And — even more sinister — over the past few weeks, something that looks like a jellyfish has started to grow in there.

But this is no mad scientist’s experiment. Rather, I’m having a go at making my own apple cider vinegar.

This cloudy liquid is very different from the clear vinegars on supermarket shelves. Yet, despite its off-putting appearance, it is set to become the new food trend.

A fermented food, with all its gut-friendly bacteria and enzymes left intact, live apple cider vinegar is prized for its health-boosting and appetite-suppressing properties.

Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow and Elizabeth Hurley are just a few of the celebrities boasting of sipping a few teaspoonfuls every morning or sprinkling it on their salads.

‘Apple cider vinegar was a popular health tonic in the early 1980s, but then it fell out of fashion,’ says nutritionist Rick Hay, who specialises in weight management and anti-ageing.

‘However, the current interest in fermented foods has brought it back in vogue. Enthusiasts are swallowing a teaspoonful several times a day as a weight-loss aid. It’s believed to steady blood sugar levels, which, in turn, can help control food cravings.

‘Others believe regular doses can help lower cholesterol levels, combat acid reflux and even improve skin condition.’

Now, I’m making my own. Jonathan Brown, the founder of Cult Vinegar, who sent me this kit, says both the smell and the ‘jellyfish’ are highly desirable.

‘The translucent, pancakeshaped thing you see growing in the liquid is what we call “the mother”,’ he explains.

‘It’s a colony of beneficial live bacteria, minerals and vitamins. And the faint, solvent-like smell occurs as the cider ferments and transforms into acetic acid — vinegar.’

So, should you be rushing out to get your hands on some? Well, yes — and no.

‘When it comes to gut-friendly probiotics, apple cider vinegar does contain some, however, compared to other foods, it’s considered a poor source,’ says dietitian and gut health specialist Dr Megan Rossi.

‘Foods such as yoghurt, kefir [a fermented milk drink] and kombucha [a fermented tea] are much better sources of gut-boosting bacteria.

‘As for protective antioxidants and other nutrients, you’re much better off eating a colourful fruit salad or vegetable dish.

‘But there is some credible scientific evidence that all types of vinegar can lower blood sugar levels when consumed with a meal.’ When it comes to swallowing neat apple cider vinegar, however, Dr Rossi is not a fan.

‘Taking vinegar on an empty stomach can make some people feel nauseous and can trigger heartburn’ she warns.

‘There’s also some evidence that drinking large amounts of neat vinegar may cause dental erosion.

‘There’s no proof that apple cider vinegar lowers cholesterol levels, either.

‘It’s also thought that drinking neat vinegar can adversely interact with some prescription medications, so it’s always best to ingest your vinegar with food or dilute it with water or juice.’

AS LONG as you don’t mind a two to three-month wait, then you can make apple cider vinegar (or, indeed, any type) with a kit like mine or in a clean glass or ceramic container.

I simply poured the starter liquid that came with my kit into the vinegar vase, added two bottles of strong, goodquality, organic apple cider and left it to ferment.

The process works using red or white wine, or even champagne. With wine, the higher the original alcohol content, the more acidic the final product.

By the time you’re done, the alcohol content should be down to 0.5% to 2%.

If using your own container, just pour in a large wine glass full of shop-bought, raw apple cider vinegar that contains ‘the mother’ (or acetic acid bacteria, which can be bought from winemaking

shops), then top it up with one litre of cider.

Put on a loose-fitting lid, or secure a clean cloth over it with a rubber band (the vinegar needs to breathe in order to ferment), then leave it at room temperature, away from sun.

‘You can tell when the vinegar is ready by its acidic, vinegary smell and taste,’ says Jonathan. ‘But if you want to be absolutely sure that your brew is moving in the right direction, use some litmus paper or a digital pH metre (both available from amazon.co.uk).

‘Anything below pH 3 is well on its way to deliciousness, and the flavour will only develop and improve with time.’

When you’re happy with the flavour, decant most of the vinegar into clean containers, passing it through a muslin cloth if you don’t want the bits, and keep it in the fridge.

If you leave a quarter, you can top it up with more cider or wine to start the process again.

The taste of the final result depends on the quality of your ingredients, but all the artisan vinegars I’ve tried — including my own — have a more complex flavour and softer edge than supermarket vinegars.

Champagne vinegar, for example, has a light, almost floral, flavour, and the Port version is delicious, too. I’ve given bottles to friends and family who were all impressed.

I’m even enthusiastic about eating more vinegar-dressed salads. So perhaps home-made vinegar is a weight-loss tool after all!