Romina

Who's behind it

Romina is a specialist in flavor vinegars and flavor oils, built on a neutral base: wine vinegar from white Trebbiano grapes. On that base the brand builds dozens of flavors, each in a 250 ml bottle. At Jimmy Loves Food there are 34 vinegars in the assortment, under the Exclusives category, plus oils like orange. The range runs from familiar fruit to flavors you rarely find ready-made: blood orange, Amalfi lemon, amarena cherry, pomegranate and quince next to red shiso, lavender, verbena, cacao and kaffir lime. Vegetables feature too, with tomato, cucumber and green asparagus.

Why these vinegars

You work with drops: the flavor of fruit, flower or herb is concentrated in the vinegar, on top of the acidity. So one product brings acidity, aroma and often color to the plate. Think of the deep red of shiso or blood orange, or the dark tone of cacao. Because the base is always the same Trebbiano vinegar, the acidity stays level and you can weigh flavors against each other. With 250 ml bottles you keep a wide range of flavors in stock in small amounts.

In your kitchen

Use the vinegars at the finish. Heat breaks down the volatile aromas of citrus, flower and herb. A few drops of raspberry or elderflower go over a fruit dessert or sorbet, shiso or kaffir lime over raw fish and tartare. Cacao or pomegranate brings up a sauce of game or red meat. On the menu, name the flavor: "strawberry, verbena vinegar". Pick a set of three or four bottles that suits your kitchen and change along with the season, from summer blossom to autumn fruit.