[Sca-cooks] Re: vinegar and sauerbraten

[Terry Decker]

Since wine and vinegar have been differentiated since Antiquity, the idea 
that wine and vinegar woiuld be indistinguishable between 450 and 1600 CE 
boggles the mind.  I would say your supposition is wrong simply because the 
terms appear seperately and together across the period we cover suggesting 
the difference was understood.

Depending on the type of wine, I might not drink last year's wine until next 
year.  I'm fairly certain that the people who produced the wine knew 
empirically about how long it would last without souring and the aging it 
would take to improve the taste (whether or not they had the opportunity to 
age the wine is a different question).

Bear


> This is not, note, the same as saying it works.  but, keeping in mind that 
> wine in period might well be indistinguishable from vinegar, (and what 
> would YOU use last years wine for?) the antiseptic qualities might have 
> been a primary effect, also tenderization, flavor, etc. there's no doubt 
> that they were aware of alcohol's potential to preserve meat, fruits, etc.
>
> gisele