So today I was hunting the big tub of instant coffee at work, when my gaze fell on a small glass bottle, containing a brown liquid. The dainty little label said: 'Non-brewed condiment'.
Right.
The seasoned member of staff sitting in the office acknowledged my query with a curt nod of her head and mumbled:
"It's an East End thing, you know."
Then she turned and went back to her computer, checking out designer frocks on ebay. A little search on the internet does not reveal much, but it appears to be nothing but water, industrial standard acetic acid and a bit of colouring. Lovely. Apparently this was preferable to proper vinegar on your fish and chips for the temperance movement, as they really didn't trust that whole fermentation stuff that proper vinegar normally has to go through.
So, next time you're in the East End and the lass/bloke behind the counter asks you whether you want vinegar on your chips, make sure it is actually said substance, and not diluted acetic acid.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-brewed_condiment
http://chris.carline.org/000423.html