Apple cider vinegar

Whisk it with olive oil, mustard and a little honey, then season with salt and pepper. Start with one part vinegar to three parts oil; it also works in coleslaw dressing.

Yes. Its fruity tang suits quick-pickled red onions, cucumbers and cabbage; use a tested pickling recipe and the vinegar strength it specifies, rather than reducing the vinegar or swapping in a weaker one.

Use it in place of wine vinegar in dressings, marinades and sauces, or instead of lemon juice when a recipe needs acidity. Its apple flavour is more noticeable, so it is less suited to delicate dishes where you want a clean citrus taste.

Keep the bottle tightly closed in a cool, dark cupboard. Refrigeration is not needed; a cloudy deposit or strands may form, especially in unfiltered vinegar, and are not by themselves a sign that it has spoiled.

It is often the “mother”, a mixture of bacteria and cellulose formed during fermentation. It is harmless in vinegar and can be left in or strained out; shake the bottle if you want it spread through the dressing.

Yes: after cooking, take the pan off the heat and add a small splash, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add stock or water and simmer briefly; the vinegar’s sharpness softens as it cooks.

The names are often used for the same apple-based vinegar, made by fermenting cider or apple juice. Check the ingredient description if the distinction matters: cider vinegar can be made from other fruit in some places.