modena balsamic vinegar adds a flair to gourmet cooking. A kitchen without balsamic vinegar is hard to imagine. Less than 20 years ago, aged balsamic was nearly an obscure Tuscan accouterment. Now, gourmet chefs use it more and more. A couple of drops of the very best aged balsamic on ripe berries, pears, or other fruit is the traditional combination to end a meal.