The difference is that apple cider is just that, apples smashed and then pressed to extract all their juices. It's a sweet drink. Vinegar has gone through several chemical changes, first you ferment the cider from the apples, just like you are making beer or wine. Then a "mother" is introduced. There is no good way to describe a mother. If you have ever had a batch of vinegar sit around and get a nasty looking snotty mass in it, then you have seen a mother. The mother eats the sugars and converts them to acid. Fresh cider is sweet, then after fermenting it contains alcohol (like beer or wine) and then the mother converts the whole thing to vinegar. Air is what vinegar needs. Beer and wine are sealed to keep out air, but for vinegar to happen you need air, so you usually make it in a wooden barrel or a container larger than you need. The only downfall with making your own vinegar is that you never know the percentage of acid. You can use it for cooking but not preserving. So you can make salad dressing but not pickles, just because you can't be sure that it is strong enough to keep bacteria from growing. If you search the web you will find directions of making vinegar, even buying a mother. I am just now getting into making my own wine etc, so I have only read about the process. Good Luck!! Tami

I tasted this drink in the prepared-foods section of Whole Foods market and asked the chef how to make it. I don't have the proportions but this is what he said: Blend a couple of oranges with water (I assumed a quart) in a blender. Then add julienned radishes, cucumber, green apple, watercress, and green papaya. Sugar to taste. Chill overnight. It's a Salvadoran recipe and I've found it several places on-line (in Spanish). If you want to translate the recipes on-line you can search 'Ensalada des Frutas drink recipe'.

Here's our current favorite breakfast smoothie, this will keep you going til lunch or longer: 2 cups spinach 2 oranges frozen pineapple frozen mango 1 large frozen banana a handful of almonds 2 heaping tbls. of flax seeds 2 large scoops greek yogurt a cup or so of unsweetened almond milk, depending on how thick you want it to be.

Orange Floats (makes 1 serving) For each serving, place a 1/2 cup (88 g) scoop of fat-free no sugar added vanilla ice cream in a tall glass. Fill the glass with 6 ounces (180 ml) chilled diet orange soda Add a couple of straws and serve. Per serving: 85 calories (0% calories from fat), 3 g protein, 0 total fat (0 saturated fat), 19 g carbohydrate, 0 dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 73 mg sodium Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch) Peach\-Banana Smoothie (makes 2 servings) 1/2 cup (56 g) peeled, chopped fresh peaches 1 ripe banana, peeled and cut into chunks 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened pineapple juice 1/4 cup (35 g) fat\-free, no sugar added vanilla ice cream In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses and serve. Per Serving: 128 calories (2% calories from fat), 2 g protein, trace total fat (0.1 g saturated fat), 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 18 mg sodium ++++Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carbohydrate (2 fruit) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hot Orange Spice Cider (makes 12 servings) 1 cup (240 ml) fresh orange juice 5 whole cloves 6 cups (1.4 l) apple cider 6 apple cinnamon spice tea bags In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out whole cloves and tea bags. Transfer hot cider to pre\-heated thermos containers. Serve hot. Per serving: 68 calories (less than 1% calories from fat), 0 protein, trace fat (0 saturated fat), 17 g carbohydrate, 0 dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 4 mg sodium ++++Diabetic exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (fruit) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peach Smoothie (makes 2 servings) 1 medium fresh peach, about 5 ounces (150 g), peeled, pitted, and chopped 1/2 cup (120 ml) skim milk 1 4\-ounce (120 g) carton nonfat vanilla yogurt 1 cup ice cubes ground cinnamon Place the peach, milk, yogurt, and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Turn off machine and scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula. Blend again. Pour the mixture into 2 glasses and sprinkle each with a little cinnamon. Serve at once. Per serving: 101 calories (0% calories from fat), 5 g protein, 0 total fat (0 saturated fat), 1 g dietary fiber, 3 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium Diabetic exchanges: 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1/2 fruit, 1 skim milk) Spa Bloody Mary (makes 2 servings) ice 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium vegetable juice cocktail 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) prepared horseradish 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) Tabasco sauce, or to taste 2 celery ribs with leaves freshly ground pepper Fill tall glasses with ice. Combine remaining ingredients except celery and pepper. Pour over the ice. Garnish with the celery and sprinkle generously with pepper. Serve at once. Per serving: 35 calories (~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Strawberry Shake (makes 1 serving) 1/3 cup (47 g) frozen low-fat, sugar-free vanilla yogurt 1/4 cup (40 g) crushed ice 1/4 cup (60 ml) skim milk 6 large fresh strawberries, stemmed and cut in half 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) vanilla extract In a blender, combine the frozen yogurt, crushed ice,and milk, turning the machine off and on several times until blended, about 1 minute. Add the strawberries and vanilla. Blend for another 30 seconds, until strawberries are finely chopped. Pour into a tall glass and serve with 2 straws, if desired. Per serving: 114 calories (4% calories from fat), 5 g protein, trace total fat (0.1 g saturated fat), 23 g carbohydrate, 1 md cholesterol, 66 mg sodium Diabetic exchanges: 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1/2 fruit) Root Beer Float (makes 1 serving) 1/3 cup scoop (78 ml) fat\-free no sugar added vanilla frozen yogurt 6 ounces (180 ml) sugar\-free root beer 2 straws Place yogurt in a tall glass. Pour in the diet root beer. Stir lightly to mix. Add the straws and serve. Per Serving: 57 calories (0% calories from fat), 2 g protein, 0 total fat (0 saturated fat), 13 g carbohydrate, 0 dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 55 mg sodium Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch) Iced Coffee Floats (makes 4 servings) 4 cups (960 ml) brewed strong coffee 2 cups (400 g) vanilla fat free, sugar free ice cream Cocoa powder for garnish Fill 4 tall glasses with ice cubes. To each glass add 1 cup (240 ml) coffee and top with 1/2 cup (100 g) scoop of ice cream. Sieve cocoa powder over the ice cream. Serve immediately. Per serving: 90 calories (0% calories from fat), 3 g protein, 0 total fat (0 saturated fat), 20 g carbohydrates, 0 dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 55 mg sodium ++++ Diabetic exchanges: 1 1/2 carbohydrate (bread/starch) Cranberry Mist Adapted from The Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook (makes 8 servings) 4 cups (960 ml) low\-calorie cranberry juice 8 cranberry clove tea bags ice about 4 cups (960 ml) chilled club soda mint sprigs for garnish In a large saucepan, bring cranberry juice to a boil over medium heat. Add the tea bags, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, fill 8 tall glasses with ice cubes. Pour about 1/2 cup ( ml) of the cranberry juice mixture into each glass. Fill the glasses with club soda and garnish each with a sprig of mint. Per serving: 23 calories (0% calories from fat), 0 protein, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 6 g carbohydrates, 0 dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 28 mg potassium, 28 mg sodium ++++ Diabetic exchanges: 1/2 carbohydrate (fruit) Fresh Fruit Slush (makes 4 servings) 1 1/2 cups (225 g) chopped fresh fruit or unsweetened frozen fruit of your choice 8 to 10 ice cubes 1. Using a food processor or blender, blend the fruit until smooth. 2. While machine is running, add the ice cubes one at a time until the mixture takes on a slushy consistency. Pour into glasses and serve immediately. Per serving: 25 calories (6% calories from fat), trace protein, trace total fat (0 saturated fat), 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium ++++ Diabetic exchanges: 1/2 carbohydrate (fruit) Hot Orange Spice Cider (makes 12 servings) 1 cup (240 ml) fresh orange juice 5 whole cloves 6 cups (1.4 l) apple cider 6 apple cinnamon spice tea bags In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out whole cloves and tea bags. Transfer hot cider to pre\-heated thermos containers. Serve hot. Per serving: 68 calories (less than 1% calories from fat), 0 protein, trace fat (0 saturated fat), 17 g carbohydrate, 0 dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 4 mg sodium ++++ Diabetic exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (fruit)