Page 127 - The Secrets Of Vinegar

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SecretsVINAIGRE VINAIGRE
fruit was also often used in savoury dishes along with garum3 and vinegar. In Palestine, water and vinegar was a popular drink. The Song of Solomon mentions wine that is “aged, with mingling flavors of herbs and spices and pomegranate juice.” Palestinian field workers also drank vinegar and water, and used it as a dip for bread during the hotter months of the year.
The Greeks used vinegar to purify and refresh water. During meals, they dipped bread in vinegar or used it to season dishes. As a beverage, water with vinegar was considered better for digestion than just water. Plain vinegar was also prized for its therapeutic uses, as it was believed to purify unwholesome air and help treat and prevent plague.
In one ancient text, the historian Livy recounts Hannibal’s famous crossing of the Alps in mid-October, 218 BCE. Upon discovering that his intended route through the mountains to Italy was impassable, Hannibal ordered his soldiers to cut down the large surrounding trees and build a great bonfire. When a strong wind blew, causing the fire to heat the rocky path, Hannibal observed that he could use vinegar to break the rockfall, allowing his army to pass through.
3 Fish-based sauce.
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