Ancient civilizations as far back as the Sumerians used vinegar as a condiment , preservative, medicine, anti-biotic and a detergent.

Vinegar is mentioned in the Bible and in the Talmud and have been drunk by Egyptians and by Caesar's armies. Hippocrates prescribed it to his patients in ancient Greece.

In all the places of the ancient world where there was production of mead, wine or fermented fruits or grains, we also find the production of vinegar. For Vinegar is a natural by- product of making alcoholic beverages: any liquid containing less than 18% alcohol becomes vinegar when airborne bacteria called acetobacter aceti converts the alcohol into acetic acid, which gives the liquid a sour flavor. 

There are many different kinds of vinegars around the world, most of them associated with regional cuisines. Cooks use vinegar to make pickles, deglaze pans, and add tang to vinaigrettes, sauces, and even desserts. Vinegar breaks down protein fibers; so adding it to marinades or braising liquids will help tenderize meat.

The French word "vinaigre" means sour wine. French wine vinegars are tangy and great for vinaigrettes and marinades.

As with so many things to do with food and drink, the French developed more sophisticated ways for producing quality vinegars.

The fine Banyuls Vinegar from Cave de l'Abbé Rous has a uniquely rich and complex palate, highlighted by honey, vanilla and liquorice notes. This vinegar is made by exposing 650-liter barrels of top-quality Banyuls fortified wine to the sun and to climatic variations for four years. This type of ageing gives a vinegar with a burnt topaz robe, a woody and spicy nose, and it develops the famous "Rancio" aroma (fresh walnut and mint) that will be found also in the vinegar. After acetification, the vinegar is aged for 12 months in oak casks, when its acidity and complex flavour blend to produce a highly distinctive, mellow tasting vinegar. Banyuls Vinegar can be used in many ways: to pep up seasonings, make delicious marinades or to add character to sauces and gravies.

Since vinegars sometimes create off-tastes in the wines that accompany a meal, Verjus (pronounced vair-ZHOO) is an ideal substitute to vinegar especially when expensive wines are served with meals. Verjus is a medieval ingredient making a comeback. Also called "verjuice", it literally means green juice because it's made from tart fresh juice of unripe wine grapes and that it has a green color when  freshly made.

It is used in lieu of: 

- lemon juice for a flavoring or for acidulating,

- Brandy for deglazing pans,

- Wine or fortified wine for deglazing pans and perking up sauces,

Some people also mix it with sparkling water and ice to make a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink.

After the bottle is opened, store verjus in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about a month. If you can't use it within that time frame, pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, then store the cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer.

Foie Gras with Apples and Banyuls

Chicken Breast, Sweetbreads and Raisins with Verjus Sauce.

Rhubarb & White Peach With Verjus.

Foie Gras with Apples and Banyuls
(serves 4)
 

110 g foie gras* - 2 slices of toast bread - 1/4 apple - 4 tblsp. Banyuls Vinegar (or verjus) - Flour - 4 tblsp. veal stock - 1 pat of butter (25 g) - Fleur de Sel

Remove crust from bread, cut into the shape of a duck, and toast. Divide the foie gras into three scallops and keep cool. Peel the apple and divide into quarters, cook with a knob of butter until pale. To serve: arrange the toast on a plate and surround with the apple slices. Season the scallops of foie gras then dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. Cook the scallops over high heat in a non-stick skillet. Brown on both sides. The liver should be supple to the touch. Place on paper towel. Drain excess fat from the pan, deglaze with the Banyuls Vinegar, then add the veal stock and bring to a strong simmer. Arrange the scallops on the toast and surround with sauce. Serve immediately.

Chicken Breast, Sweetbreads and Raisins with Verjus Sauce
(serves 1)
 

3-1/2 oz. sweetbreads, blanched, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces - 2 tblsp. butter, divided - Fleur de sel* - Pepper - 1/8 cup brandy* - 1/4 cup (1 oz.) raisins - 1 tblsp. chopped parsley - 1 large airline chicken breast half (a boneless chicken breast with the first wing bone attached. If not available, substitute boneless breast with skin still on. 

Carrots: 1/4 cup (2 oz. ) butter - 2 tblsp. water - 1 tblsp. sugar - 1 large carrot, sliced - Salt and pepper

In pan over medium to high heat, sauté sweetbreads in 1 tablespoon butter until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with brandy and reduce until sweetbreads are nicely glazed. Then add raisins. Let cool and add parsley. Lay chicken breast flat, skin side down, and make a pocket in the breast by slicing horizontally. Be sure not to slice through the breast. Fill pocket with cooled sweetbread mixture. Tie breast just enough to hold it closed, or use a skewer or toothpick to close opening. In sauté pan, over medium heat, in remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is crispy. Finish cooking in oven at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Remove string or skewers.

Sauce verjus: In roasting pan, roast bones of 1 chicken carcass with a mirepoix of carrots, onions and celery. Add garlic bulb, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary and 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper. Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine and 1 cup verjus. Cover bones with water and let reduce to a nice brown stock. Strain through a chinois. Crush 1 cup of green grapes into a blender with 1/2 cup of verjus. Strain and add to the sauce. Let reduce until smooth consistency. Melt butter in water, over medium heat; add sugar and carrots. Let caramelize until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Assembly: Slice chicken breast and arrange on slices of glazed carrots. Spoon Sauce Verjus around plate and garnish with golden raisins.

Rhubarb & White Peach With Verjus
(serves 1)
 

1 White Peach* - one branch of de rhubarb peeled (or cranberries OR quinces) - 1 tblsp. Lavender Honey* - 5 tblsp. Verjus - ginger, minced - pepper - Fresh

In a sauce pan, bring to a boil the Verjus with the honey and the ginger. Cut the rhubarb in sections and boil them 5 minutes in the syrup. Drain and set aside. Reduce the syrup. 

Slice the peach in 6 and lightly brown the slices with butter. Sprinkle with pepper and add the rhubarb. Serve chilled with the reduced juice and garnish with a leaf of mint.