EVERY kitchen has an unsung hero – one that rarely gets the spotlight yet is indispensable in shaping the soul of a dish.

It is the humble vinegar, with a distinctive acidity that coaxes flavour from ingredients, brings balance and elevates the ordinary into something memorable.

“When used properly, vinegar never announces itself.

“But it makes whatever you’re cooking taste better,” shared master vinegar maker Ian Henderson during a visit to Penang.

It all boils down to simple chemistry and how human taste buds perceive flavour, said the founder of Queensland-based The Australian Vinegar Co.

Vinegar contains acetic acid, which breaks down fats and proteins.

This makes it a key component of marinades, pickling liquids, dressings and sauces, as it helps tenderise meat and even neutralises unwanted odours such as the fishiness in seafood.

More importantly, it frees up flavour compounds that would otherwise remain trapped within ingredients’ molecular structures, intensifying their inherent flavours and often creating entirely new ones.

The acidity also affects how flavours are perceived by the palate.

It counteracts excessive sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, or richness, preventing dishes from tasting one-dimensional, heavy or cloying.

“Vinegar is a chef or home cook’s unheralded superpower, elevating balance, brightness and depth,” said Henderson, who was in town for the six-day Australian Produce Festival 2025.

The event showcased some of Australia’s finest produce, from meats and seafood to honey, coffee, tea, grains, nuts, oils, fruits, jams, wine and, of course, vinegar.

Henderson conducted a tasting session with local media, highlighting the subtle nuances between different bottlings under his company’s Lirah Australian Vinegar label.

Indeed, not all vinegars are created equal.

Different starter bases, fermentation methods, and ageing processes create a wide spectrum of flavour profiles that add complexity to dishes.

They are broadly categorised as grain-based (such as rice and malt vinegar), fruit-based (apple cider and balsamic), wine or spirit-based (red or white wine vinegar) and speciality types (infused or seasoned, like kombucha or herb vinegar).

Henderson stressed that there was no single ideal vinegar for all recipes.

“If you need a cup of it for a Bolognese sauce, use an inexpensive one.

“If you’re putting a drop on a fresh oyster, go for the best variety you can afford.

“Also consider the flavours of your dish.

“A salad with bitter greens could use something sweeter like balsamic.

“One that already has sweet fruits may need a sharper type like apple cider vinegar or white balsamic.

“But don’t be afraid to try something different. Your recipe will still work – you’ll just get a different twist.

“For example, you’d typically use rice vinegar in sushi to keep it white. But if squid ink pasta is any indicator, dark balsamic sushi might be the next big thing,” he added.

The highlight of the produce festival was a special five-course “A Taste of Australia – Where Provenance Meets Flavour” menu, served at Shangri-La Rasa Sayang’s Feringgi Grill.

It featured sustainable wild-caught Tasmanian scallops, southern rock lobster, Spencer Gulf garfish, Sanchoku wagyu, and ocean-farmed tiger stripe abalone – each prepared with different varieties of vinegar – as well as Western Australian native bush tea in a dessert.