| Vinegar is used in many cuisines but fruit vinegar is | | | | chocolate. It is also used to sweeten coffee or to |
| especially popular throughout Central and South | | | | make desserts. |
| America. In the warmer Mexican regions, fruit vinegar | | | | Recipe for Pineapple Vinegar |
| recipes are often made with pineapple, and this | | | | This recipe is incredibly simple and all you need is |
| delicious vinegar is used for pickling and cooking. | | | | water, the peel from a ripe pineapple and sugar. |
| In the cooler Mexican areas apples are often used | | | | Sterilize the container and lid by washing them in hot, |
| instead. Vinegar takes a few weeks to ferment in | | | | soapy water and rinsing them well. |
| warm weather or a couple of months to ferment in | | | | After you strain and store the pineapple vinegar, you |
| cooler weather. You can use it in Mexican salad | | | | might notice a gelatinous mass floating on top or |
| recipes and to make vinaigrette. | | | | hovering at the bottom. This is normal and harmless. If |
| Fruit Vinegar Ingredients | | | | you make more vinegar, put some of this mass into it |
| Fruit vinegar recipes are usually made with water, fruit | | | | because it helps the vinegar develop. |
| and sugar. The water should be purified and you can | | | | What you will need: |
| try different fruit. Pineapple and apple are the most | | | | - 1 lb piloncillo or 3 cups brown sugar |
| popular fruits for making fruit vinegar. You can use just | | | | - 1 gallon purified water |
| the fruit peel or add the whole fruit to the recipe. | | | | - Peel from 1 pineapple How to make it: |
| You can use brown sugar to make fruit vinegar or | | | | Put the water, sugar and pineapple peel in a sterilized |
| you can use piloncillo if there is a Mexican store near | | | | glass container which has a tight-fitting lid. Stir it well. |
| you. This is an unrefined Mexican brown sugar and the | | | | Leave the container somewhere dark for between |
| word "piloncillo" refers to the cone shape in which the | | | | four and eight weeks, depending on the temperature. |
| sugar is made. Other words for piloncillo include | | | | The vinegar will go murky and brown to begin with but |
| panocha and panela. You can get piloncillo oscuro, | | | | after a while it will clear and you will see a white skin |
| which is dark piloncillo, and piloncillo blanco, which is | | | | start to form at the base of the container. When this |
| lighter. You can get all different sizes of cones, ranging | | | | happens it is ready. |
| from three quarters of an ounce to nine ounces. | | | | Strain the pineapple vinegar though a coffee filter or |
| Piloncillo is hard compared to the brown sugar you | | | | double-layered cheesecloth, into bottles which have |
| might be used to. You will have to cut it with a | | | | been sterilized and use corks or tight-fitting lids to seal |
| serrated knife. Use it in any recipe which calls for dark | | | | them. Keep the vinegar somewhere dark and cool until |
| brown sugar or in traditional Mexican recipes. Piloncillo | | | | you want to use it. |
| is used in champurrado, which is a Mexican hot | | | | |