Buy a Good Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is a condiment that has been made in Italy's Modena and Reggio Emilia regions since the Middle Ages. All balsamic vinegars are, however, not created equal. The original balsamic vinegar is in fact a product made from cooking and reducing white Trebbiano grape juice. While the original process of making balsamic vinegar is still in practice, the product that it produces is very expensive. The cost comes from aging the product to reduce and thicken for a period of 12 years or more. As the aging process continues, the product is moved into successively smaller casks, until the desired taste, consistency and acidity have been reached. Some balsamic vinegars are aged for 18 and even 25 years. In its most harsh, un-reduced state, it is great for salad dressings and as an ingredient in marinades. The true aged product, however, is deliciously sweet and thick and is great on top of ice cream or in desserts like panna cotta. Here's how to buy a good balsamic vinegar.
Steps
- Choose by type.
- Balsamic vinegar comes in 3 distinct types. The first is the authentic and traditionally made balsamic vinegar. It is labeled as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. No other vinegars are allowed to bear that name. It is the most expensive of the 3, and prices vary by the age of the product. A 12 year aged vinegar could cost as much as $100.00 USD for 3.4 fl. oz. (100 ml), while a 25 year aged product could sell for $400.00 USD for the same tiny amount.
- Commercial grade balsamic vinegars are the second, and most common, type of balsamic vinegar. This vinegar is usually a combination of wine vinegar and additives to artificially simulate the taste and texture of the traditional product. Coloring, thickeners and caramel can all be added. There is no aging for this product, and it is very affordable and easy to find in your supermarket.
- Condimento grade balsamic vinegar is usually a combination of the traditionally made product and the mass produced vinegar. This product can be made in a variety of ways. It can be made in the traditional way but aged for less than 12 years. Or, it can follow the traditional process but be made outside of Modena or Reggio Emilia, so it cannot be labeled as a more expensive product. More often, however, it is made using a combination of an unaged, but traditionally made product, combined with grape juice to dilute it.
- Choose by intended use.
- There is little point in using the most expensive balsamic vinegar in a salad dressing. Therefore, choosing the appropriate vinegar for your use is important. If you want a good product for salad dressings, then a high-end commercial product with few added ingredients is a good choice.
- Gourmets and foodies might find the condimento grade balsamic a good choice. It works splendidly in a dressing, but equally well as an ingredient in other dishes. It can be reduced to a syrupy consistency that can mock the texture, if not taste, of the aged product.
- If you are out to impress or you just want the best of the best, then pick up a bottle of the aged vinegar. Use it sparingly. It is a great topping for artisan ice cream, for dipping strawberries, or for a full umami flavor explosion, top slivers of Parmesan Reggiano with a drop of balsamic, then chew slowly.
- Consider white balsamic vinegar.
- While not an authentic balsamic vinegar, white balsamic vinegar has become recently widely available. It is a light colored vinegar that is used in place of regular balsamic when discoloration is undesirable. White balsamic is made from combining white wine vinegar with white grape must, and then cooked slowly. It is not generally aged.
Tips
- Keep any balsamic vinegar in a dark pantry or cupboard and away from heat. It will last for years if kept properly.
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