Yes, with all of the different vinegars, the difference in “”sour”, the type or kind of vinegar should be specified

I agree, you should specify the type. If you just say "vinegar", I'm going to default to apple cider vinegar, which I always have on hand, or I'll think that other vinegars (such as rice vinegar or wine vinegar) may be interchangeable and use one of those. If white vinegar is necessary to the character of the recipe, specify white vinegar to eliminate confusion.

Annie

OK, thank you!

I would also specify whether you mean white distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar, which would give different results.

FWIW, I've often subbed cider or other vinegars for what was specified in a recipe, and things turned out ok - even pickles. There might be a flavor difference, but it's never been anything that spoiled the recipe. The acidity of table vinegars is pretty much the same, IMPE, if you exclude balsamic.

I never use distilled vinegars in foods anyway.

I’d assume DWV if not specified, but agree it would be better to specify. Now Olychick has me wondering about the difference between WV and DWV; not sure I’ve ever seen the former.

Except for pickling recipes, I always default to white wine vinegar or sometimes rice vinegar. I find its taste more pleasant/mellow and not as biting. I recently had a recipe that called for white balsamic vinegar, which I had a heck of a time finding in this town, finally found some that was something like $22 or $24 a bottle and it is foul! It tastes like white wine vinegar with a ton of sugar in it (which it probably is). I've been using it up in recipes that call for both vinegar and sugar. What a waste of $!

Next time buy white balsamic at Trader Joes, it's about $3 a bottle. I might use it in a salad dressing.

I should clarify - I don’t recall using DWV in food in a very long time, I have a big jug for the coffee maker. But If the recipe didn’t specify, that’s what I’d assume they meant. Not necessarily what I’d use but what I’d assume they meant.

As for white balsamic vinegar, I’ve often wondered if there really is such a thing? I often see “white balsamic condiment” but not WBV. I finally saw Colavita WBV and bought it a while back but haven’t tried it yet. Looking at the bottle now the ingredients say aged white wine vinegar and must of white grapes. Whatever that is.

Foodonastump, the colour of the grapes doesn't change the colour if the juice. Red wine gets its colour from the skin. The skins are soaked in the juice formatting lengths of time...longer for red wine, less for rosé...........

Good balsamic vinegar is delicate and really good. If it tastes like sugary wine, then perhaps it's......not white balsamic.

I think it would be best to specify which type vinegar you want to be used in the recipe. If I saw "vinegar" I would assume regular old white distilled vinegar but that's just me.

Actually, I do. With options.

I have more than a dozen different kinds of vinegar, from aged Balsamic (very sweet) to black rice vinegar to coconut vinegar, and so I am always very specific about what kind of vinegar to use in a recipe. One vinegar from France (Vinegar of Banyuls) has a very specific flavor, as do most vinegars. Flavors of vinegars vary as much as flavors of wines. I mainly use plain white distilled vinegar for cleaning, but sometimes for making pickles.

I find it important. But not so specific one needs to go searching and shopping. Like Lars, I have a few good ones I stock. Banyuls and a good sherry vinegar. and always AC in stock. Basic white I use for cleaning but also the warming/blooming of a pickle. And for brining.

The better vinegars are best for a splash or a finishing sauce. Good to put a note to use a 'good' favorite fruity or tart vinegar and mention the brand you use.

Last night I made a quick pickle dressing for a raw veggie salad. I used a 1/4 cup reg vinegar and a 1/4 cup of water to bloom/warm my pickling spice. Let cool then added to my veg, then added some apple cider vinegar that has the Mother that I did not want to heat and destroy the good stuff. Chiffonade cabbage on the bottom to get the most soak and other veg just a light toss with lemon to the table. (did not fully cover like most pickles.) The tomato, kumato, salad I splashed with a tsp of Banyuls. (winter grocery tomatoes need some help)

Leftover veg will be great for tonights dinner. If I wrote this as a recipe I would mention as above and a note that the leftover veggie 'slaw' will keep a few days for another meal like a burger or bbq, mixed possibly with some fresh sliced cabbage and/or some added celery seed, dill, sliced cucumber, and a tbsp of mayo or greek yogurt.

...and better photos seem to do best for blogging...or a few more to show the steps.

(much better than this one,)...I just use my cell phone for personal notations

I'll mention a preferred vinegar for my recipes, but usually there's no outright flavor difference. I do read "vinegar" to be white wine vinegar when I don't see qualifiers, but I feel free to sub with apple cider or red wine vinegar.

I will specify rice vinegar when I want a slightly lower acid content, and I do think malt vinegar has its own unique flavor profile. So does sherry vinegar, but when I don't have that, I usually sub in apple cider vinegar instead of running out to the grocery.

Of course, balsamic is totally different than all of these.

Btw I only use distilled white vinegar for things like cleaning the coffee maker...

I would assume white vinegar unless atated otherwise. That said, I always sub if I think the recipe would be better with something else

With the exception of old cookbooks, it's very rare these days that you just see "vinegar" listed as a recipe ingredient. There was a time when the only vinegar in households was DWV, but it's completely different today. Case in point...a shelf in my pantry with umpteen bottles vinegar.

In my own cookbook, I'd just write "vinegar" if I meant white vinegar.

However, since you have a blog that's read by other people, I think you should specify "white vinegar". Those other people may or may not be experienced cooks, and they may be confused by types of vinegar.

In the same vein, I never bother to specify all purpose flour, unsalted butter, brown spicy mustard, full-fat sour cream, and any number of other basics in my own cookbooks -- but I wouldn't assume other people consider my favorites "basics".

I'm surprised to read that households only had DWV! I don't think we ever had that, only apple cider vinegar.

Olychick, the DWV is all I can remember with my mom. Maybe she had ACV, too. A far cry from what's in my pantry these days.

ETA - I checked my pantry for the various vinegars...white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, citrus champagne vinegar, pomegranate champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, cabernet vinegar, raspberry vinegar. I know...kind of crazy but people like to give them to me...and I use them.

I think we also had some red wine vinegar for "fancy" things, lol. But I remember putting cider vinegar on cabbage and other things. It was always in a little glass or crystal cruet like this:

Interesting. To me, white vinegar is a cleaning solution. I NEVER use it for cooking, and I mean never. I once tried a pickle recipe that called for white vinegar. I composted the result. Not to my taste at all. I grew up in a cider vinegar family. If a recipe says 'vinegar,' in my family, it means cider vinegar. I now use red and white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar (a favorite) and rice wine vinegar, for various things, but, absent other instruction, vinegar = cider vinegar.

DWV is a very harsh sour, for sure. When in doubt, ACV is usually a safe bet.

marymd7, sherry vinegar is a favorite with me, too.

I've seen more and more recipes calling for sherry vinegar. I went on a search for some. I went to our largest chain grocery store, nope. I called some independent specialty stores. Nope. We were outside of Toronto a few weeks ago, in a suburb. Next door to the restaurant was a very large Fortino's. We couldn't wait to go in and wander the store. I checked there as well. An impressive array of vinegars, but, again no sherry. I bought a pretty bottle of white wine vinegar.

I use regular white vinegar in barbecue sauces, and some salad dressings. I use red wine vinegar for my red salad dressings and Greek dressing.

Jasdip, sherry vinegar can be harder to find. The brand I have right now is from "O" that came from Sur La Table. You can also order from them online...https://www.ooliveoil.com/.  You can sometimes find various bottles of their vinegars at places like HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and Marshall's. I've bought some of their Champagne vinegar at HomeGoods.

This is the O sherry vinegar I have...love their slender bottles.

Tonight I made some fresh salsa w/ organic pomegranate vinegar from Trader Joe's. It is yummy stuff = )

To me, white vinegar is a cleaning solution. I NEVER use it for cooking,

Agree. If not specified, I'd assume ACV, but probably use white wine or something else instead, but not white vinegar. That just wouldn't cross my mind unless I'd somehow run out of all other vinegars.