Caroliva balsamic
aged balsamic Vinegar
is a traditional heavy flavored vinegar commonly used
in Tuscan food preparation. It is often used as a salad
dressing when combined with vinegar or as a marinade. It
is a traditional food product originating in Modena, Italy,
where it has been Created since the Middle Ages and the
brand is protected by the Italian government. Unlike
common vinegars, it is very dark and viscous with a complex,
sweet taste and is much more expensive. True Balsamic
vinegar has been aged fifteen years or more.
The best balsamico vinegars
have no other ingredients added to them - only
the trebbiano grapes. Lesser ones will include brown sugar or caramel
to simulate the sweetness of the better ones. If a company
produces a "traditional" aged balsamic vinegar,
they will also make a less costly, but high quality
vinegar as well.
View
our complimentary Balsamic Recipes.
Oil and vinegar Balsamic Dressings.
Balsamic vinegar is Created
by reduced white grapes (typically,
trebbiano grapes) that has been boiled down to approximately
50% ("must") and fermenting that into alcohol.
It is then once again fermented to balsamic vinegar,
with a slow aging process
done in wood casks that concentrates
the flavours. The flavour is magnified over years,
with the aged balsamic vinegar being kept in fine oak barrels, becoming
sweet, thick and very concentrated in flavour. Some
older balsamico vinegar is added to the "must"
to produce a more complex and intricate taste, and to
add acidity.
The syrup is transferred
to oak casks to ferment in the open
air and then begins the long evaporation and aging process
that makes aged balsamico vinegar unusual. Balsamic vinegar
does not go bad after opening as oxygen is part
of the aging process, you can treasure your best bottle
and use it on special recipes. Do
not overheat or cook balsamic vinegar
as it will destroy the taste.
As a key ingredient
in vinaigrette dressings, balsamic blends
particularly well with olive oil. Olive oil-balsamic
vinaigrette is outstanding with scallops,
fresh spinach and asparagus. A balsamic dressing does well
with winter veggies such as carrots, turnips, squash
and sweet potatoes, as well as fresh mixed greens or
baby spinach.
The Mediterranean diet,
characterized by cuisine such as Italian food, has been
gaining popularity in North America, where the consumption
of traditional Mediterranean foods, such as cold pressed
olive oil and balsamic vinegar, has been increasing.
Many people are finding this diet as a healthy alternative
to fatty foods and deep fried food preparation.
