Q: We bought a bottle of sake that we wanted to try but found it tastes really awful. I don't want to just throw it out. Do you have any ideas for using it? Could it be made into vinegar?
Lynne: I wonder if you bought either a poor quality sake or an old bottle. My understanding is that only poor quality sake is served hot - most of them are served cool - and that it's important to buy fresh sake. My concern is that if you use it in, say, a marinade or cook with it, your food will end up tasting of something you don't like. I've never tried making it into vinegar, but you certainly could try.What you'll need is a "mother," that gel-like white substance that sometimes appears in a bottle of vinegar. Use up the vinegar containing the mother then pour your sake into the same bottle. Keep it in a cool, dark place where air can get to it and in 4 to 5 weeks it most likely will turn into vinegar. It would, at least, be a great experiment. I think vinegar mothers are available online from The Vinegar Man, who's been a guest on the show.
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