Mother of Vinegar

If you've ever had doubts as to what that is and whether or not your vinegar has it, wonder no more...

Yep, it really does look like snot.

And while that fact might put you off...quite a bit...have no fear.  These are good bacteria, going to work for you!

So if you get some, save it, and it will make your next batch of apple cider vinegar (ACV) go so much quicker.

If you have never made your own raw apple cider vinegar before, you should certainly give it a try because it is very, very easy to do.  For more on that, check out this informative how-to article courtesy of Ohio State University.

This past September, I used my own homegrown Red Delicious apples to make my first batch of raw ACV.  My tree puts out so many and they do not keep very long.  I did not press my cider, but instead ran my apples through a juicer and strained the juice well.  You will end up with a little sediment in the bottom, no matter how well you strain it, but it won't hurt anything. 

Fresh, organic apples are best for this.  You can also purchase fresh, unpasteurized cider in season and use that.  Just be sure it contains no preservatives.

Why go to all this trouble?  Read about the many benefits of using this old fashioned home remedy and maybe you'll want to try some too.  Whether you make your own (free) or buy it (very affordable), it is worth checking out.  But don't expect any miracles out of the clear, filtered ACV you usually find in the grocery store.  It is not at all the same stuff.  Look for raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized ACV.  Your local whole foods store will likely have it.

I have been taking half an ounce of my vinegar in a 16 oz. glass of water every morning and evening for two months now.  I can definitely tell an improvement in my energy levels and my digestion.  I lost 12 pounds quite easily in the first month (prior to the over-abundance of Christmas goodies which temporarily stalled me out).  I found that without planning it or even thinking about it, my carb cravings were drastically minimized which made it easier to stay within a set number of calories each day.  And my sinuses which are tormented by the wood stove this time of year were also much less bothersome.

Well, here I set out to simply show you a picture of what the "mother" looks like and now I have gone on to try to talk you into making your own raw ACV (as so obviously you should!  ;) )  Through many articles, I never did come across any images online to help me identify it when I first started this batch.  Toward the end of the process, you will notice it just appears one day, floating on the surface.  Eventually (and I assume that this is the result of the daily stirring) it will end up in the bottom of the jar.  I hear that you may not always get one, but if you do be sure to save it to jump-start your next batch!

I keep mine in a smaller jar with a little of the vinegar in with it and twice now the main jar of vinegar has gone on to develope a new one.  It is perfectly fine to keep them together in one jar, but I remove mine to make it easier to take out my dose of vinegar with a turkey baster.