I’ve been looking for a really good North American cider vinegar for so long I can’t really even remember when I started. It’s crazy that it should be so hard to find since cider vinegar was once a standard ingredient in kitchens across the continent. After almost giving up, I actually happened upon a very nice one made in the Monteregie region of Quebec by Pierre Gingras, a third generation apple grower. The Gingras folks start by crushing only whole, hand picked organic apples (no windfalls are used, nor are scraps or scrapings from previous pressings) from only their own orchards. The specifics of the blend are Mr. Gingras’ secret, which only adds to the aura surrounding this incredible vinegar. The juice is allowed to convert to vinegar slowly and naturally, and then spends two years in French oak barrels where it mellows and matures. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, it really does deliver true apple flavor. Perfect for salads, slaws, pickles and preserved vegetables.

This product is certified organic.

We use this vinegar as the base for the Eastern North Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce at Zingerman's Roadhouse.