My Love Affair With Vinegar

Vinegar isn't said to be versatile just because both words start with "v!"

According to Webster, versatile is, adaptable to many uses or functions.

And that's vinegar!  Not only is vinegar non-toxic, environmentally friendly, budget friendly, and all natural. It gives you tasty meals.  And  it can also come to your rescue in the kitchen.

What about those nasty odors?  Vinegar may just have the answer for you!

(Photo from Dreamstime.com)

You can add a small amount of white vinegar to the water when cooking vegetables (such as cabbage) to remove the odor.  This works with fish, too.  Don't worry, you will not taste the vinegar.

Or, you can add 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar to a cup of water.  Boil them in a separate kettle the same time you are cooking foods that tend to have an unpleasant smell when they are cooking.  The vinegar will absorb the odor.

And this idea is even easier.  You can simply place a small container of white vinegar next to your stove while cooking.  Again, the undesirable odor will be absorbed.

So--you didn't follow any of the above tips while cooking.  And now there's that awful odor.  Or, you burned the pot roast, again!

Put vinegar on a dish towel and wave it around the room.  (You probably don't want anyone seeing you do this!)  The odor will disappear.  And if you don't tell, your family will never know what you did to the roast!

You can wash your hands with white vinegar to remove food odors (onions, garlic)  from your hands.

If foods have left an odor on your cutting board, use a baking soda and vinegar mixture.  First, sprinkle the soda and then add undiluted vinegar.  They will bubble and foam.  After 10 minutes, wash.  The odor will be gone!

You may have containers that have stubborn odors.  Fill them with warm water and two tablespoons of white vinegar.  Let stand for several hours.  Rinse.  Then wash with dish detergent.  The odors should be gone.

So go right now and write vinegar on your store list!