Lemon & Vinegar by Fruchtwerker. Lemon vinegar made from untreated organic lemons – sour and tangy.
Lemon & Vinegar by Fruchtwerker is a lemon vinegar from Talkau in Schleswig-Holstein: untreated organic lemons from Spain and Italy, 25 percent fruit, cold-macerated in spirit and wine vinegar, sweetened with sugar, only 3 percent acidity. No added lemon flavoring, no concentrate, no coloring – a vinegar with a citrus taste that is something different from lemon juice. 250 ml.
Lemon vinegar is the Fruchtwerker variety that tastes the most sour – despite having the same three percent acidity as all the others. The lemon brings its own freshness, the vinegar provides structure, and the sugar balances both. The result is a bottle that sits in the kitchen exactly where the lemons usually go: for fish, for cucumber salad, or for a glass of water that needs a little flavor. It is one of our best-selling varieties from this producer.
The zest makes the difference
The lemon vinegar smells like a freshly sliced lemon, with the essential oils from the peel that are missing in lemon juice alone. On the palate, you first get the acidity – cleaner and brighter than any wine vinegar – then the sweetness that rounds it off, followed by a slight bitterness from the peel at the end. It is bright yellow, clear to slightly cloudy.
Unlike the orange vinegar, the bitterness here remains in the background because the citric acid masks it. At 54 grams of sugar per 100 grams, the sweetness is distinct, but due to the acidity, it seems less present than in the berry varieties. Anyone tasting it neat might think of lemon candy with vinegar – in a dressing, this impression vanishes immediately.
A limitation: It does not replace lemon juice. If you need pure acidity, for example for a hollandaise or for seasoning a soup, stick with the fruit itself. And for people who generally find vinegar too sour, the lemon variety is the wrong choice – the apple or honey vinegar from the same producer is milder.
Cucumber, couscous, grilled shrimp
Lemon vinegar belongs with everything that should be fresh and light: cucumber salad with dill and a spoonful of sour cream. Couscous salad with mint, tomato, and spring onion, where the vinegar replaces the lemon in the recipe. A tomato salad that only needs salt, olive oil, and a tablespoon of vinegar. The dosage: one tablespoon to three tablespoons of oil, for four people.
It is a classic for fish. A few drops over pan-seared salmon, trout, or sea bream from the grill, just before serving. As a marinade for shrimp: two tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of olive oil, a sprig of thyme; let it marinate for twenty minutes, then grill. The same works with zucchini slices or smoked salmon that has been soaked in an oil-and-vinegar bath for a day.
In light sauces – cream sauce for fish, butter sauce for asparagus – a teaspoon at the end is enough. And in a glass: a splash in homemade lemonade or iced tea. For those who want both citrus varieties, add Orange & Vinegar, which covers the sweeter, more bitter side.
Our tip: Paired with the Olive Oil & Lemon from the same producer, the vinegar creates a dressing that only requires a pinch of salt. For many of our customers, these two bottles together are the summer essentials.
Two recipe ideas from the Fruchtwerker cookbook: Grilled sea bream, drizzled with this vinegar and olive oil just before serving, served with fennel. And chicken breast marinated for twenty minutes in vinegar, garlic, and oil, then pan-fried – the acidity makes the meat tender, while the sugar ensures a nice crust.
For cold dishes, there is a rule of thumb: wherever a recipe calls for lemon juice and sugar, this bottle can replace both – in vinaigrettes, vegetable marinades, or a yogurt sauce for falafel. It is, however, not suitable for pure acidity – such as in a hollandaise or for seasoning a soup.
Lemons from the south, vinegar from the north
Fruchtwerker uses only whole fruits, and for lemons, that means including the zest. That is why only untreated organic lemons from Spain and Italy are brought to the workshop in Talkau. The fruit is processed into a mash and left to sit cold in vinegar for several days until the color, acidity, and essential oils have infused the liquid. The fruit remains cold during this process – heat would destroy the volatile citrus aromas that define this vinegar.
After pressing, the liquid is boiled down with sugar and bottled. The method originates from the raspberry recipe of the farmer Emma near Ratzeburg, which Matthias Hüttmann took over in 2008. Together with the orange vinegar, lemon forms the citrus side of the assortment.
Today, Fruchtwerker produces around 300,000 bottles a year in Talkau, with a fruit content of around 25 percent across all varieties. Along with pomegranates, the citrus fruits are the only ones that come from outside Northern Germany and its surrounding European regions – for the simple reason that lemons do not grow in Schleswig-Holstein.
A summer bottle that stays in use throughout the winter
This vinegar is a summer product if you think about salads, and a year-round product if you think about fish. We therefore recommend it as the variety to start with if you prefer citrus over berries: bright, sour, and straightforward.
As a gift, it is perfect for people who love cooking fish or Mediterranean food. Combined with the Olive Oil & Lemon in a package, it is a souvenir that feels like a vacation and comes from Talkau.
A fruit vinegar made from organic lemons including the zest, cold-prepared – for cucumber salad, shrimp, and a glass of flavored water.
