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SMART SHOPPING: Cider Vinegar

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To see whether cider vinegar varies from brand to brand, we rounded up 10 vinegars–domestic as well as a couple from France and Canada–and it was immediately clear they were not identical. They ranged in color from pale straw to deep gold, in flavor from sweet to puckeringly tart, and in appearance from crystal clear to clouded with particulate matter. After tasting the vinegars straight, in a vinaigrette, in a cooked sauce, and in a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, one thing was clear: Sweet vinegars stole the show. Our favorite, California-made Spectrum Naturals Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, was praised not only for its sweetness, but also for its “distinct apple flavor” and “assertive, tangy” qualities.