Cane vinegar

Sugarcane vinegar is used in cooking in the Philippines and many other islands where sugarcane is grown. It's as mild as rice vinegar, although there are, of course, different varieties and types. It's not sweet and has a mild, tangy flavor, making it ideal for marinating and making sauces.

Cane vinegar produced specifically in the Philippines is labeled "sukang iloko" or "sukang maasim." In stores in the US and many other countries, the latter is much more common than the former. You can almost certainly find it in California, USA, and Hawaii. This type of vinegar has become increasingly popular in recent years and is used in cooking alongside wine and apple cider vinegar. It is prized for its fresh, slightly tart flavor.

Cane vinegar is excellent for making sweet and sour sauces, lemon curd, or marinating fish. In Filipino cuisine, it's used in the classic dish abodo. It consists of chicken and pork marinated in vinegar with bay leaves, garlic, and spices, served with rice.

Chefs love to use cane vinegar to tenderize meat. Because it has a milder flavor than other types, it doesn't alter the meat's flavor. It simply adds a more piquant flavor. For this same reason, some people like to add cane vinegar to fruit salads.