10 Vinegars You Should Have in Your Kitchen (and How to Use Them) I love acid. The vast majority of foods, whether savory or sweet, are improved by a hit of bright tartness. There are two main ways to get acid into your cooking: citrus and vinegar. All vinegars contain acetic acid—that’s what makes them sour—but varying the starting material affects the flavor and color. Pretty much every vinegar can be used to deglaze, or make a pickle, or mixed into a salad dressing of some kind, but each has a unique flavor profile and its own set of talents. Here are just a few of the many vinegars you can find in this wild world, along with my favorite ways to use them.