Apricot Vinegar

Marillen Essig by Gölles. Sweet-tart apricot vinegar for wok dishes, curry and shrimp.

Marillen Essig is a fragrant fruit vinegar made from apricot juice at the Gölles manufactory in Styria’s Vulkanland, 250 ml. No apricot syrup, no balsamic vinegar, no vinegar for classic potato salad.

Marillen Essig is a fermented vinegar by Gölles, made from marillen, as apricots are called in Austria, which are pressed and their juice fermented twice. So it is an apricot vinegar, only under its Austrian name. Remove the cap and hold your nose to the bottle. There is this round aroma of ripe stone fruit, with something earthy underneath. Only then does the acidity reveal itself.

Sweet fruit, fresh acidity

The marillen vinegar tastes sweet-tart and has a distinctly fragrant note reminiscent of sugar-free apricot compote. Gölles describes its character as sweet. The five percent acidity keeps this fruitiness vibrant, so that nothing feels sticky.

On the palate, it feels softer than apple or wine vinegar. The manufacturer describes a hint of Sauvignon grape, porcini mushrooms and a dark, jammy sweetness in the aroma. The finish remains fruity for a long time. That is precisely why it is suitable for dishes that already bring their own sweetness or spiciness.

This variety is less suitable for a hearty Austrian potato salad. For potatoes, cabbage and cucumbers, a wine vinegar is the better choice.

Curry, ginger, cardamom and seafood

Gölles expressly recommends the marillen vinegar for Asian cuisine, for shellfish and seafood, as well as for dishes with curry, cardamom or ginger. The house recommends rapeseed oil, poppyseed oil and macadamia nut oil as oils.

For a vegetable curry with coconut milk, add 1 tbsp of vinegar to the pot at the end; it lifts the spices. Marinate shrimp in 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, 1 tbsp marillen vinegar, grated ginger and a little chili for ten minutes. Pour a dash over a wok pan with pak choi and bell pepper just before serving.

A sweet-tart dip for spring rolls is also easy to make: mix 3 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp apricot jam, 1 tbsp soy sauce and a pinch of chili. It also pairs well with chicken with cardamom and yogurt. In a homemade mayonnaise, it replaces the lemon, and it works well in a carrot salad with ginger. Because the fruit already rounds out the flavor, a dressing needs less oil than usual. For an Asian-style cabbage salad with white cabbage, carrot, sesame and coriander, mix it with rapeseed oil and a little sesame oil.

One detail on the side: Those who enjoy cooking Asian cuisine should compare the marillen vinegar with the quince vinegar from the same range. The quince tastes more lemony, while the apricot is rounder and earthier.

A stone fruit in the vinegar manufactory

Among the creative vinegars by Gölles, a range established in 1996, the marillen vinegar represents the sweet-tart style. Alois Gölles had previously expanded his father’s fruit-growing business into a distillery and produced the first apple balsamic vinegar in 1984. Today, the manufactory in Riegersburg employs around 25 people.

The vinegar is made from the whole fruit, like all Gölles vinegars. The apricots are pressed fully ripe, as there are only a few days between firm and overripe. No sulfites, flavorings or colorings are added. The juice first ferments into a fruit wine, then the vinegar mother converts its alcohol into acetic acid with oxygen.

It then matures for at least twelve months in a steel tank. Wood would overpower the delicate aroma of the stone fruit, while in steel it remains fresh. Quality control at Gölles includes regular joint tastings with the team. This way, everyone in the manufactory’s shop knows the products from personal experience.

An apricot vinegar for modern everyday cooking

The marillen vinegar fills the gap between classic wine vinegar and sweet balsamic. It brings fruit and acidity to a dish at the same time. A salsa of mango, red onion and coriander also gains more depth with a teaspoon of it.

It is not intended for long braised dishes, as the aroma evaporates during vigorous cooking. Always add it at the end. As a gift for anyone who enjoys experimenting with curry, ginger and the wok, the small bottle is a good choice.

A dash of apricot at the end of cooking, and the curry gets a fruity acidity that you would not have expected.