We always bring a cruet of pepper vinegar to the table along with the salt and pepper. It’s a great hot sauce to shake on everything from a fried oyster to a morsel of pork shoulder. It’s also a superb tenderizer for meats and an easy way to gussy up a favorite salad dressing. Best of all, making it is very, very easy. You can use fresh or dried hot peppers, but fresh ones give the vinegar kick for longer. Just keep topping up your cruet with vinegar until the peppers no longer give it heat. You’ll be surprised how long-lasting hot peppers are. Some cruets we’ve had are on their third year, and the vinegar seems as fiery as the first day we made it.