The household cook book

Mother of vinegar is a fungus, or low form of plant life (the Mycodermi aceti). A little of this put into a sweet or alcoholic solution will soon convert it into acetic acid or vinegar. The plant may be divided and propagated to any extent. Vinegar can hardly be said to have any nutritive value, its office being to stimulate the nerves of taste, and to flavor various foods. It also has a powerful preservative action, preventing the decomposition of vegetable and animal substances. VINEGAR APPLE . — When cooking apples, save the parings and cores (if sound) ; they can be thrown into a jar from time to time, as they accumulate; add enough soft water to cover, and 1 cup of sugar or molasses to each 7 or 8 quarts of water; keep out insects by covering with netting; keep it in a warm place and it will form good vinegar, BEET VINEGAR. — A good vinegar can be made from beets by extracting the juice, and letting it stand in a warm place, or exposed to the sun, covered with netting; a little yeast will hasten the process. CHERRY VINEGAR.— Into 1 quart of good cider put 4 lbs. cherries, mashed, and add their stones, also; let stand 24 hours, and add 4 lbs. more cherries without their stones; let stand 3 days and strain (but do not squeeze) through a thin bag; add 1 quart of sugar to each quart of beet juice, and boil gently 80 minutes; skim and bottle when cold. CIDER VINEGAR — To each 2 quarts of cider add 1 cup molasses and ^ cup yeast; keep covered where the temperature is 70° to 90° and it will soon make vinegar; then draw it off from the dregs, and keep in a jug, or bottles, tightly corked. Cider for vinegar, should be made from good sound apples which are not wormy or decayed. CLOVER VINEGAR.— Put into a jar 1 quart of molasses, and pour on 2^ gallons of pure soft water, boiling hot; as soon as it is barely lukewarm, add 2 cups hop yeast and 5 pints clover blossoms; cover and let stand a fortnight; then strain through cloth. CORN VINEGAR Put into a jar 2 cups of corn cut from the cob, add 2 cups of molasses or brown sugar, and 4 quarts of pure soft water; set it in the sun covered with netting to keep out the insects; in 3 weeks it will make good vinegar, which is preferred by many people to cider vinegar. CURRANT VINEGAR.— To 1 gallon of pure soft water add 3 cups brown sugar and 5 cups strained currant juice; keep in a warm place (from 70° to 90°) and it will form vinegar. Or, mash the currants, let stand over night, strain, and let the juice stand in a warm place until fermentation ceases. White currants will make a delicate, pale vinegar. 552 VINEGAR GOOSEBERRY VINEGAR,— Take ripe gooseberries, mash them, and to each quart add 1| quarts soft water, milk warm; let it stand 24 hours, strain it, and add 1 lb. coarse brown sugar to each quart; let it stand in a warm place in the kitchen, and in 2 or 3 months it will make fine vinegar. It will be superior to much that is sold as white wine vinegar. HONEY VINEGAR.— Mix thoroughly into 1 gallon of warm soft water, 2 cups of clear honey; cover and let it ferment, when it will make good vinegar. MOLASSES VINEGAR.— To each gallon of warm soft water add 1 pint molasses and ^ cup yeast; keep warm and in 3 weeks it will make vinegar.