Sunday, January 18, 2009

Vinagre de Piña (Pineapple Vinegar)

THIS IS SOOOO COOOOOOL TO ME! (I know I'm an odd person). This is NOT A RECIPE!

I've been interested in making vinegar from scratch, particularily pinapple vinegar.
My aunt (Tia Licha) told me she knew how.

So I was excited to go visit her and learn, turns out it's a REAL LONG PROCESS.

First you have to make something my aunt calls "la madre" (the mother) it is the bacteria that makes the vinegar, IT'S ALIVE! She say's it takes like 1 year, you have to get cleaned pineapple skins put them in a container with "Piloncillo" (unrefined solid cane sugar) and let it form over the course of a year, she say's it will bubble, and foam and this thick jelly like thing will form that is called "the mother"

Afterwards you drain that, put "the mother" in a container with water again and more unrefined solid care sugar and seal it leave it for 1 month or 2 the bacteria will feed off the sugar and it will make pineapple vinegar.

When you have your vinegar you put it in another container and fill the container with the "mother cultures" again with sugar and water and the process starts all over again, while making vinegar they will keep reproducing and you end up with more and more to make more and more larger amounts of vinegar, give them away or throw them out.
Pretty COOL!

I was bummed that I would have to make the cultures/ bacteria "the mother" so my aunt said, "No te preoccupes aqui tengo unas madres pa'ti pa que impieses ya" meaning "Don't worry I already have a bunch of the bacteria stuff so you can start making the vinegar"

That is SOOO AWESOME AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! I asked her what I can do with the vinegar she said I can use it like any other vinegar in marinades, salads, cooking, etc. I'M EXCITED!

I'm gonna get a pineapple and try to make the bacteria on my own, just for fun, but for the meanwhile I'll have the bacteria making me vinegar (the one she gave me) I'll update you guys on the results!.

My aunt say's in Mexico in her families ranch they had giant containers with huge amounts of the bacteria and vinegar, etc.

This vinegar can also be turned into "TEPACHE" (it doesn't need to be to fermented for that) a type of Pineapple Liqour (get's you drunk) I will ask her how to turn it into that later.

Here is pictures:
This is Piloncillo (unrefined solid cane sugar):

This is "la Madre" (the bacteria the mother of the vinegar)

Here it is in the water with the "Piloncillo"




Results in 1-2 month updated

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Most people would be arrested for putting their "mother" in a jar!

Nathan said...

OTRChef,

Yup put that mother in a bottle and drown her with water and some sugar lol.

Felix L. Ricardo said...

So THAT'S what mother is?

Nathan said...

Felix,
Yup that's what is? Hey are you the same Felix from the group "CUBA" on myspace?

Anonymous said...

This vinagre makes such a tasty marinade for meats like chicken and pork. I remember my dad doing the same process since it can't be found in stores in the States.

Nathan said...

LOLita,
I can't wait until it's done, new bacteria is already forming in the bottle.

I still have atleast 6 more weeks to wait, ugh I'm impatient but it will be well worth it :)

So how do use it as a marinade? (like what do you use in addition to the pineapple vinegar?)