Pedro Ximenez balsamic
balsamico Vinegar
is a authentic thick flavoured vinegar commonly used
in Italian gourmet cooking. It is typically used as a salad
vinaigrette when combined with virgin olive oil or as a marinade. It
is a traditional food product that was developed in Modena, Italy,
where it has been Produced since the Middle Ages and the
brand is protected by the Italian government. Unlike
table vinegars, it is very dark and viscous with a complex,
sweet taste and is much more costly. True Aged balsamic
vinegar has been aged in casks fifteen years or more.
The finest balsamico vinegars
have no other ingredients added to them - only
the grapes. Lesser vinegars will include brown sugar or caramel
to simulate the sweetness of the true balsamico. If a company
creates a "traditional" balsamic vinegar,
they will also produce a less costly, but high quality
vinegar as well.
View
our free Balsamic vinaigrette Recipes.
Oil and vinegar Balsamic Salad dressings.
Balsamic vinegar is Created
by reduced white grapes (typically,
trebbiano grapes) that has been boiled down to about
50% ("must") and fermenting that into alcohol.
It is then once again fermented to balsamico vinegar,
with a slow aging procedure
done in wood casks that concentrates
the flavours. The flavour is deepened over decades,
with the balsamic vinegar being kept in fine wood barrels, becoming
sweet, viscous and very concentrated in flavor. Some
older balsamico vinegar is added to the "must"
to produce a more complex and intricate taste, and to
add acidity.
The thick syrup is transferred
to oak casks to ferment in the open
air and then begins the long evaporation and aging process
that makes aged balsamic vinegar unique. Balsamic vinegar
does not deteriorate after opening as oxygen is part
of the aging process, you can treasure your best bottle
and use it on special entrees. Do
not heat or cook balsamic vinegar
as it will ruin the taste.
As a key ingredient
in vinaigrette dressings, balsamic goes
especially well with olive oil. Olive oil-balsamic
vinaigrette is wonderful with scallops,
spinach and asparagus. A balsamic dressing does well
with winter vegetables such as carrots, turnips, squash
and sweet potatoes, as well as spring 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.
