" wrote:

I went back and re-read what he said, which was that Szechuan used
'white & red' rice vinegars. I'm guessing that red vinegar is really
similar to black vinegar. I quite like black vinegar myself, but I guess
thats something you can vary without going all inauthentic.

Red rice vinegar is more like white rice vinegar. The two are
practically interchangeable IMO, with only a slight difference in
flavor.

The difference between Chinese black vinegar and white rice vinegar
is like the difference between English malt vinegar and American
white vinegar - they are very different.

I think you mean the red and blue cans of bean sauce, which I have used
and found OK. There is a Japanese brand of 'Toban Jian' (hot bean sauce)
that uses broad beans available at a local Korean supermarket, though
its a small jar for $6 - I might give it a try though.

The best hot bean sauce (in my opinion) is Kim Lan Hot Bean Sauce.
http://www.ettason.com/products_details.asp?id=1146

I've tried them all, too :-)

This one is made with soybeans instead of broad. I've never seen
the ones made from wench beans - which I hear are better (according
to Bruce Cost and Charmaine Solomon). So I guess I haven't tried
them all

-sw