Making vinegar: Our first feeding

Our homemade vinegar is brewing.Soon after returning with our “mothers,” we moved them tobigger jars to start the feeding process.

We put each one in a mix ofwater and wine, then topped the jars with cheesecloth secured withrubber bands to keep out vinegar flies.

Note: If doing this at home, you might want to move the mother with aladle, or wear gloves.

I used my bare hands and—even after scouringthem with coffee, baking soda, and other supposed odor neutralizers—they smelled of vinegar for two days….