Be sure to rinse the spinach as many times as necessary, always lifting the spinach out of the water to let grit settle to the bottom before changing the water. Or, purchase packaged prewashed spinach.

• Cider vinegar is sweet and smooth tasting. Since cooking enhances its sweetness, it's often used for hot dressings. • White vinegar has a harsh flavor and is most often used in pickling but occasionally in salads. • Red or whire wine vinegars are smooth and mild in flavor. They work well in vinaigrette dressings. • Rice wine vinegar, widely used in Asian cooking, is slightly sweet. • Fruit-flavored vinegars are not sweet per se, but have a fruity flavor that combines well with fruit salads and mild meats such as poultry and pork. • Herb-flavored vinegars enhance the flavor of milder lettuces such as iceberg, Boston or leaf lettuce. • Balsamic vinegar is a wine-based Italian vinegar with a mellow, full-bodied, slightly sweet flavor and dark brown color. It complements bitter greens such as arugula, chicory or radicchiom, and is also a good condiment for meat.