Katz Apple Cider Vinegar - Gravenstein

Katz Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar

375 ml - California

This is an essential vinegar ingredient to always have on hand.

You can taste the Gravenstein Apple! When you can taste the variety of apple you know you are tasting something special!

Everyone is shocked at how good this is! The usual response after tasting is to check the bottle and then say "that is nothing like any apple cider vinegar I have had before!"

Worth Drinking!

Katz Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar

Last week I was testing a few recipes for the Tahini and one included Apple Cider Vinegar.

We test and try ingredients all the time, so our pantry overflows into every available flat space we can find. In other words, the dining room table, the hutch, and the floor can get covered in new foods. Sounds great, but sometimes it's just too much.

As a result, some of our favorite ingredients are pushed aside, literally, to the back burner or even out the door. I don't know how long it has been since I gave away my last bottle of apple cider vinegar to a chef-in-need.

This means that I need to resupply and bring a bottle of apple cider vinegar home. (We have 18 vinegars in the pantry.) Even though you know every vine is awesome, it's nice to have a refresher, of taste that is.

This Katz Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar is a revelation, a vision, a lightning bolt of amazement! Yes, it's just vinegar, but a little sip with just your lips, and you can taste the sweetness, the shape, the roundness of the apple you can taste the apple!

It makes you realize that you don't need to have industrial grade cleaner apple cider vinegar in your body.

I called Albert to ask him why his was so amazing, and though he is never shy to say how much he likes his stuff, he never says it's his hands that make it great. (It is) What we did discuss is ideas, like the fact that the Gravenstein apple has a natural tart sweet flavor. And that the apple is still a true breed. 

The one word that describes this vinegar to him is "quaffable". More than five years ago he had some gut issues and nothing was working. So he started drinking his Katz Gravenstein apple cider vinegar; 1/8 cup vinegar with 12 ounces of mineral water. And it worked. He has had no issues since.

Want the basics to why Katz Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar is good for you? Click here to read a quick article.



The Gravenstein apple has played an important role in the history and culture of California's western Sonoma Valley since the 19th century. This richly flavored cider vinegar is redolent of baked apples, honey and sweet spice balanced with a solid backbone of acidity. Very versatile in the kitchen.

Suggested Uses for Katz Gravenstein Apple Cider Vinegar
* First of all - anything pork! Braised pork chops with leeks and apple cider vinegar is a favorite.

* Makes a mean coleslaw or braised cabbage

* Salad Dressings - simply terrific - just add a teaspoon of mustard, a shallot (finely minced) and your favorite extra-virgin olive oil

* Perfect compliment for walnuts, smoked turkey, and goat cheese salad

* Makes the best Waldorf Salad

* Pan-roasted chicken breast with a splash of cider vinegar, sautéed apples and a bit of chicken stock

About the Gravenstein Apple
In the Sonoma Valley, Gravensteins hit peak planting in 1945, when over 14,000 acres of the area's gently sloping hills were covered with the trees. Today, there are far fewer, as thousands of acres have been replanted with grape vines - another crop we love, but we still believe in supporting those remaining Gravenstein growers. Slow Food has declared the Gravenstein apple to be a "Heritage" food that should be protected from further encroachment.

The fruit has long been sought after by chefs for its culinary uses and its elegant balance of sweet and tart flavors. Gravensteins' dense texture makes them perfect for sauces and pastries, and they also make a gorgeous apple crisp imaginable - and some of the best cider around.

And here is where we come in. This cider vinegar is made from hard cider from late-ripening Gravenstein apples when the sugars are high, and then the cider is carefully and slowly converted to vinegar in 55-gallon oak barrels.

A Little Vinegar Lore
Vinegar's long history includes uses other than culinary. Apple cider vinegar has been a folk remedy used for hundreds of years. Among claimed benefits have included: aiding in digestion, lowering blood pressure, helping with weight control, improving memory and even relieving arthritis. Although we can't vouch for any of these, we know folks who've taken to making up an afternoon "tonic" of one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of honey and one of warm water - who knows what benefits it may bring!