The hottest way to get your vinegar these days is to drink it, and what better way to down the trend than with a refreshing non-alcoholic spritzer or a deliciously buzz-inducing cocktail? And if there are health benefits from enjoying it—and there are several, from improving blood sugar levels to protecting your heart health—that’s what we call a win-win.
Drink up, vinegar lovers!
1Lip-Smacking Bloody Mary
McClure’s Bloody Mary mixer came about as a way to reuse much of the brine used to produce the company’s artisanal pickles. The brine is recycled into its own jar and combined with tomatoes, many locally grown near McClure’s Michigan operations. The result is a lip-smacking, tart and tangy Bloody Mary.
Briney Bloody Mary
Ingredients:
3 oz. McClure’s Bloody Mary
1.5 oz. Dragon Bleu Penja Pepper Vodka or Valentine Vodka
Garnish with a McClure’s Pickle
Directions:
Serve over ice. Enjoy.
Courtesy of McClure’s Pickles
2Sweet and Sour
Pok Pok Som was created by chef Andy Ricker as his own fruitier version of the drinking vinegars he found in Portland’s Asian markets. The vinegars, used to create cocktails in his Pok Pok restaurants in New York and Portland, are delicious diluted with four parts soda water or seltzer.
The Hunny
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. tequila
1 oz. Som Honey drinking vinegar
1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice
Directions:
Shake. Strain and serve with grapefruit wedge for garnish.
Courtesy of Pok Pok
3Delicious Digestif
The vinegars at The Filling Station in New York’s Chelsea Market come in such delicious natural flavors as pineapple, peach, grapefruit, cranberry pear, chocolate, espresso, cherry and more. “Customers tell us they mix a dash of our vinegar with seltzer water after a big meal,” says co-owner Laura Nuter. “It’s a great palate cleanse and can help settle your stomach. Others use a shot of the Lemongrass-Mint to spruce up their mojitos!”
White Balsamic Digestif
Ingredients:
1 part The Filling Station Honey Ginger White Balsamic vinegar or Lemongrass-Mint White Balsamic vinegar
4 parts seltzer water
Directions:
Mix and serve over ice.
Courtesy of The Filling Station
4Sweet Shrubs
Started as a baked goods company, McClary Bros. founder Jess McClary was looking for a healthier way to showcase locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs. She discovered the tradition of shrubs—using vinegars to preserve flavorful fruits and vegetables that dates back to colonial times in America.
Bourbon Pie Shrub
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Bulleit Bourbon
0.25 oz McClary Bros. Michigan Apple Pie Shrub
0.25 oz orange bitters (such as Urban Moonshine Organic Citrus Bitters)
0.25 oz maple simple syrup
Directions:
Add 2 dashes of bitters to a lowball glass of ice (large cubes). In a shaker, combine remaining ingredients. Strain over bitters and ice. Garnish with apple and orange zest.
Courtesy of Local Kitchen & Bar in Ferndale, Michigan
5Amazing Aperitif
Amoretti balsamic vinegar comes from Northern California and is made using natural ingredients. The understanding of flavor relationships results in a delicious aged pomegranate balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients:
A dash of Amoretti Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
Prosecco or Aperol
Directions:
Pour the Prosecco or Aperol into a glass and top with a dash of Amoretti Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar. Enjoy.
Courtesy of Amoretti
