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ESSAY SAMPLE ON "DIFFERENT, INNOVATIVE USES FOR VINEGAR" |
Vinegar
When I was a child, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother. She liked to
cook and so did I. Because of this, I learned my way around the kitchen. I knew the
place for everything, and I knew the uses of most everything. There was only one
paradox, in my knowledge of the kitchen: vinegar. My mother had one bottle of vinegar
for as long as I can remember. She never used it in cooking, or taught me how to for
that matter. Our bottle of White Wine Vinegar sat in our cupboard: on the bottom shelf,
enigmatically, untouched, detached. I knew that my mother wouldn't have it without
reason. It was in the kitchen, so I concluded that it must be some sort of, rarely used,
cooking staple. I would never have guessed then that vinegar had so many uses.
Just the other day, I was in the mall visiting a friend that works at Frankincense and
Myrrh. While there, I happened upon some bottles that caught my eye. They were
attractive looking ornamental bottles. Each one was filled with mysterious, colored
liquids: the colors varied from red to brown to yellow. In the liquids were berries',
sprigs of herbs, and things of the such. I thought they looked interesting, so I picked
up a bottle that I recognized as having sage in it. I took a look at the label. On the
label were listed the ingredients: sage, rosemary, and southernwood leaves. When I read
the front of the bottle, I was surprised to find that I was looking at an herbal vinegar
hair rinse. Before this I never knew that such a thing existed. After my experience at
the mall, I became aware that vinegar didn't just belong in the kitchen. This intrigued
me. I decided to find out more about vinegar and its uses.
Nobody knows the exact origins of vinegar, but there are many stories and beliefs
surrounding this strange liquid.(Oster 3) The Roman Army was recorded to have mixed
vinegar with water to make a sort of Gatorade for the soldiers. In the eighteenth and
nineteenth century United States, similar drinks known as "shrubs" or "switchels" were
made by field laborers. To make these drinks, they mixed either fruit juices or water,
with sometimes salt, and fruit-flavored vinegars.(Oster 4) The earliest recorded use of
vinegar, however, was in Babylonia around 5,000 B.C. There, it was typically made from
dates, and commonplace as a medicine.(Oster 3)
Throughout history, vinegar has been used medicinally. Via modern science we know
vinegar to have antibacterial and antiseptic properties.(Oster 5) But before the
convenience of laboratory analysis, Hippocrates (commonly called the father of medicine)
recommended vinegar to his patients. One such recommendation was a vinegar, honey, and
pepper douche for "feminine disorders."(Oster 5) Folklore has it that during a plague
epidemic in Marseilles, four robbers drenched themselves with what is now known as "Four
Thieves Vinegar." In doing so, legend say that they were able to pilfer the diseased and
deceased without getting infected themselves.(Geddes) In the Civil War, vinegar was
issued to counter scurvy. More recently, in World War I, vinegar was commonly accepted
as treatment for wounds.(Oster 5)
Other more modern medicinal uses for vinegar also exist. A mixture of apple cider
vinegar and water, if used properly, can help reduce acne problems.(Geddes) A similar
solution has been known to help with indigestion if taken regularly.(Oster 42) Cold
apple cider vinegar can also help relieve the pain of sunburns.(Geddes)
Vinegar also has many uses around the house. Because vinegar is acidic by nature, it is
very useful for a spectrum of cleaning uses and other tasks. Vinegar is relatively
inexpensive and, by comparison to the mass-produced toxic chemical cleaners, potent. For
most home uses, one would usually dilute the vinegar in water. A one gallon bottle of
apple cider vinegar could replace a whole box full of harmful chemicals found littering
the common home. Vinegar can both remove stains from wooden furniture and act as
polish.(Oster 33) When your drain gets clogged, you don't need to buy the toxic liquid
plumber. You can pour a handful of baking soda down the drain, add a half a cup of
vinegar, and then cover the opening for five to ten minutes. Doing this will unclog your
drain.(Geddes)
I have found several innovative uses for vinegar. The uses listed here are only a few
of the many that exist. After learning about them, I have found ways to save money and
be enviromentally safe at the same time. I still don't know exactly why my mother kept
vinegar in her kitchen; maybe she was just trying to save the world from harmful
pollutants. I do, however, see numerous reasons for me to keep it in mine.
Works Cited
Geddes, Lynn. Personal Interview. Washington. 14 February, 1997.
Oster, Maggie. Herbal Vinegar. Vermont: Storey, 1994.
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