Spanish balsamic
aged balsamic Vinegar
is a authentic heavy flavoured vinegar ordinarily used
in Italian gourmet cooking. It is typically used as a salad
vinaigrette when combined with olive oil or as a marinade. It
is a traditional product that was developed in Modena, Italy,
where it has been Created since the Middle Ages and the
brand is protected by the Italian government. Unlike
most common vinegars, it is very dark and viscous with a complex,
sweet flavor and is much more costly. True Balsamico
vinegar has been aged fifteen years or more.
The finest aged balsamic vinegars
have no other ingredients added to them - only
the grapes. Lesser common vinegars will include brown sugar or caramel
to mimic the sweetness of the balsamic vinegars. If a company
produces a "traditional" balsamico vinegar,
they will also make a less expensive, but high quality
vinegar as well.
View
our complimentary Balsamic Recipes.
Oil and vinegar Balsamic Vinaigrettes.
Balsamic vinegar is Produced
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 balsamico vinegar,
with a slow aging procedure
done in wood barrels that concentrates
the flavors. The flavor is heightened over decades,
with the balsamic vinegar being kept in fine wood barrels, becoming
sweet, syrupy and very concentrated in flavour. Some
aged balsamic vinegar is added to the "must"
to make 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 starts the long dehydration 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 appreciate your finest bottle
and use it on special recipes. Do
not heat or cook balsamic vinegar
as it will destroy the flavor.
As a key component
in vinaigrette dressings, balsamic goes
very well with olive oil. Olive oil-balsamic
vinaigrette is great 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 new 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.
