We use vinegar for many purposes, not the least of which is for cooking and making dressings. Raw apple cider vinegar renders many health benefits, and I would not be without it if I could help it! When we came back from our furlough in 2007, I brought with me a big jug of Bragg's Vinegar, which I think might be the best on the market.


...But as you can see, my jug is just about empty. I searched for a source of raw apple cider vinegar in the markets here, but all I could find was pineapple vinegar. I'm partial to the flavor of apple cider vinegar, so my only option seemed to be to learn to make it myself!


What forms vinegar from apple cider (or any other juice) is called the "mother". It is a living mass of good bacteria (and other critters), and while it is not a pretty sight, it is necessary. I asked around, and found a woman who makes vinegar, and she was willing to give me a piece of her mother (my piece pictured above).

Hers is massive. She keeps it in a big bucket and feeds it once a week with panela (a raw form of sugar) and water. As I said, I want vinegar made of apple cider, but I thought a mother is a mother... It should work with my juice, right?


So I brought it home and rinsed it out. I made fresh apple juice with my wonderful juicer and settled that little mother down into my juice, covering it loosely with a cloth. That was a little over a week ago. This is what I have now:


It has a clear, leathery film on top, which is a new mother forming. I have no idea how much time it needs to convert from juice to wine to vinegar. Anybody have an idea?

Anyway, it seems to be working, and I'm so excited!