Did you know?

The French consume on average 1.6 litres of vinegar per year.

Salt dissolves better in vinegar than in oil and a teaspoon of mustard balances the flavour of a vinaigrette.

It is better to add seasoning to salad at the last minute, to prevent the lettuce leaves from wilting.

To revive wilted lettuce leaves, rinse them in warm water then cold water with three teaspoons of vinegar and a cube of sugar dissolved in it.

Vinegar does not contain alcohol but acetic acid. The degree indicated on the vinegar is the measure of this acidity.

A chemical reaction is responsible for the hot taste of mustard. When ground and mixed with water, two substances, sinigrine and myrosine combine to produce a molecule called isothyocyanate of allyle which produces the hot sensation in the mouth.

Vinaigrette was also the name for a small box made from gold, mother-of-pearl or ivory, highly fashionable during the 17th century. It was often worn as a necklace by the ladies of the age; inside was a small sponge soaked in aromatic vinegar. At the slightest hot flush, they would dab their foreheads and temples with it.