balsamic vinager adds a flair to gourmet cooking. A kitchen without balsamic vinegar is incomplete. Less than 20 years ago, balsamic vinegar was nearly an unknown Tuscan accouterment. Now, chefs use it more and more. A couple of drops of the very best aged balsamic on ripe strawberries, bartlett pears, or other fruit is a customary combination to end a main course.