Salt and vinegar is a classic flavour combination that has been popular for generations. It's a savoury and tangy mix that can be found in many different types of foods, from chips and popcorn to pickles and even meat marinades.
The History of Salt and Vinegar
Salt and vinegar is a flavour combination that has actually been around for centuries. In fact, the ancient Greeks used vinegar as a preservative for their food. They also used salt to enhance the flavour of their meals. Over time, people began to realize that the two flavours worked together to create a unique taste that was both salty and tangy.
In the 1920s, Sarson's began selling malt vinegar in the UK. It quickly became popular as a condiment for fish and chips, and soon people started adding salt to the mix to create a savoury, tangy flavour. This combination of salt and vinegar became a staple in British cuisine.
Today, salt and vinegar is a beloved flavour that can be found in a variety of foods, from crisps and popcorn to roasted nuts and even meat marinades.
Uses of Salt and Vinegar
One of the most popular uses of salt and vinegar is in the form of crisps. These snacks are coated in a mixture of salt and vinegar seasoning, giving them a tangy flavour that's hard to resist. In fact, salt and vinegar crisps are so popular that they've become a staple in many households and can be found in almost every supermarket and food shop.
Salt and vinegar is also used as a marinade for meats. The acidic properties of the vinegar help to tenderize the meat while the salt adds flavour. This combination works particularly well with pork and chicken.
Pickles are another food that often uses salt and vinegar. Cucumbers are soaked in a vinegar and salt brine, which gives them their tangy flavour. Pickles can be eaten on their own as a snack or added to sandwiches for extra flavour.
Salt and vinegar can also be used as a seasoning for roasted nuts. The salt helps to bring out the natural nutty flavour while the vinegar adds a tangy kick.
Why Salt and Vinegar is So Delicious
There's something about the combination of salt and vinegar that just works. The salt enhances the flavour of the food while the vinegar adds a tangy kick that balances out the saltiness. This creates a savoury and tangy flavour that's hard to resist.
In addition, the acidity of the vinegar can help to cut through the richness of certain foods. For example, vinegar can be used to balance out the fatty flavour of fried foods like fish and chips.
So although we love this flavour combination, the one thing that really bugs me is soggy chips. You can spend time making Triple Cooked Chips and achieving that incredible super crispy outer layer but then in my opinion spoil it by making then soggy by adding vinegar and undoing all your hard work.
So we set about to create a seasoning that captured all of the flavour and power from Salt & Vinegar but in a powdered form rather than liquid.
We always use the amazing sea salt we source from Halen Mon. We aren't blessed with any sea here in the Cotswolds so sticking to our values, use the very best British sea salt. It is hand-harvested, organic-approved sea salt made from Anglesey sea water and absolutely nothing else. Expect a delicate balance of minerals, depth of flavour, and no bitterness.
We then use a Malt Vinegar powder. This really packs a punch but carefully blended with the sea salt gives a wonderful balance. If you don't believe us then this is what the expert judges thought at the Great Taste Awards...
Great Taste Award Winner!
Judges comments...
What a great idea! We loved the sharpness of the vinegar and the gentle salinity of the sea salt.
A very fine powder with a huge amount of intense flavour. The nose is highly pungent - full of malt vinegar notes. These follow through very well onto the palate with a striking similarity to seaside fish and chips! Very clever and delightfully balanced - we can imagine this sprinkled all over our fish supper and the chips still as crisp as they were as they came out of the fryer. Clever stuff.
As seen on TV
We even got a feature on ITV's This Morning where host Holly Willoughby called it 'Genius' . Here is the clip of our TV feature