Vinegar

In Greek villages vinegar is made from homemade red wine, which is left to turn to vinegar. Since people are always afraid that their wine might turn to vinegar sooner than anticipated, and because they are unable to explain when and how their lovely wine turns sour, they have become highly superstitious. The word xidi (vinegar) used to be banned from households that kept wine, and the euphemism glikadi (the sweet one) was used instead. Homemade Greek vinegar is never very strong; the best substitute for it is Italian balsamic vinegar.