modena balsamic vinegar
balsamico Vinegar
is a traditional heavy flavored vinegar typically used
in Tuscan recipes. It is typically used as a salad
dressing when combined with olive oil or as a marinade. It
is a traditional import developed in Modena, Italy,
where it has been Created since the Middle Ages and the
name is protected by the Italian government. Unlike
common vinegars, it is dark and viscous with a complex,
sweet flavor and is much more pricey. True Balsamico
vinegar has been aged in casks 15 years or more.
The best balsamic vinegars
have nothing else added to them - only
the grapes. Lesser vinegars will include brown sugar or caramel
to feign the sweetness of the authentic balsamic vinegars. If a company
produces a "traditional" balsamic vinegar,
they will also produce a less expensive, but high quality
vinegar as well.
View
our free Gourmet Balsamic vinaigrette Recipes.
Oil and vinegar Balsamic Salad dressings.
Balsamic vinegar is Produced
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 oak barrels that concentrates
the flavours. The flavour is deepened over decades,
with the aged balsamic vinegar being kept in fine oak barrels, becoming
sweet, syrupy and very concentrated in flavour. Some
older balsamico vinegar is added to the "must"
to create 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 starts the long evaporation and aging process
that makes aged balsamic vinegar striking and unique. 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 occasions. Do
not overheat 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 lobster,
spinach and asparagus. A balsamic salad 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.
