CookEatShare также доступен на языке: English
Закрыть

Создатель: Claudia lamascolo

Balsamic Vinegar

Amos Miller
Amos Miller 29 января 2011

Twenty years ago most Americans had never heard of balsamico, it was a world of red wine and white wine vinegars, and the vinegar your mom used to wash the windows (it does cut grease on glass).

Today, go into a supermarket and, of the 50,000 items on the sheves, you will find scores of bottles of every type of vinegar - herbed, champagne, every manner of wine vinegar - and, of course, rows of balsamic vinegars of various pedigree, ranging, generally, in price from $2.00 to $20.00. Most are packaged in lovely bottles with fancy labels. So what are you buying and what will you do with it? You can pay as much as $200.00 for a balsamic vinegar. Are you going to cook with it? Make a salad dressing? Big mistake! There are two kinds of balsamic vinegars: the real thing, which takes at least 12 years or far more to produce, and the manufactured balsamic vinegar, which is what most of the product is on the shelf. Both have their place in our kitchen, both, depending, of course, on if you buy the right brand, can make your sauce, salad or dessert hit the highest notes of palatable pleasure.

If anyone is interested, I'll be more than happy to expand on the topic and tell you what to look for and what to buy for any kitchen use... anyone interested?

Необходимо задать тип темы
Необходимо задать тему
Необходимо ввести сообщение
или Отмена
toni
toni 30 января 2011, 19:59
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

I would really like to hear more. I enjoy using balsamic vinegar in salad dressing and a few recipes, but would like to know more about what to buy for what use.

Amos Miller
Amos Miller 31 января 2011, 06:08
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

Excellent! All I need is your interest, Toni, and off I go. There was a time, and I'm sure it may still be the case, when in certain areas of Northern Italy, a bride was given in marriage along with a cask of incredibly excellent balsamico. There are 40 and 50 year old balsamic vinegars -and they cost a fortune. So your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar. Are you really going to use 4 oz. of Cavalli Gold Seal Extra Vecchio at $60.00 an ounce? I don't think so.

Generally, we use balsamic vinegar for glazes or for vinaigrettes. I will recommend three balsamics here. All are available in stores and all are extremely affordable.

If you want to use a balsamic for a glaze, try Ortali Balsamic.

If you want to make a fine vinaigrette, try Monari Federzoni Modena.

If you want a balsamic that works pretty well in a glaze AND in a vinaigrette, try Lucini Gran Reserva.

Sure, you can use just one balsamic, but think of having a couple on hand. Why? Because each will taste very different and create different flavor profiles, acidic, sweet, viscous.

last word: If you look on the label of a balsamic vinegar and you see 1, 2, 3 or 4 grape leaves on the front label, you will be looking at a good to fine balsamic finishing vinegar. They cost more, but this is what you will want if you make a dessert that requires a balsamic. Buon appetito!

Amos Miller
Amos Miller 04 марта 2011, 05:02
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

I'm back with a footnote to my last paragraph, last entry on this subject.

Regarding the grape leaf on the front label of a given balsamic vinegar. The home of great balsamics is Modena. I learned from the Roland folks in New York (importers) that Italy has a strict certification established by the Associazone Assaggiatori Italiani Balsamico, for short, AIB. Their 4 grape leaf grading system breaks down as follows:

"1 leaf = light in flavor and consistency. Sweet with a sharp aftertaste
2 leaves= Round and spiritied. Brisk and vibrantly balanced.
3 leaves= Smooth, full-bodied taste. Polished finish with tangy accents.
4 leaves = Superbly lush and intense. Syrupy with complex flavors and heady aroma."

I hope this info helps you past the rows of 3 day-1 week old balsamic in pretty bottles and labels. Quality matters in cooking.

Gone 04 марта 2011, 12:50
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

Amos, nice post. I can do shots of a good balsamic :-) I will second Monari Federzoni of Modena.

Amos Miller
Amos Miller 04 марта 2011, 22:51
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

Grazie! I usually have 3 balsamics on hand and like to match the character of the balsamic with where I imagine I want to dish to go.
Sometimes, maybe too often these days, balsamic is over-used, which diminishes it's glory in the dish. A few drops on the plate, just before serving, just for the perfume, can be quite sufficient. Now, about those shots...

Gone 05 марта 2011, 14:50
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

Lets see, 1/2 ounce balsamic to 2 ounces Jack?

Amos Miller
Amos Miller 07 марта 2011, 06:35
Re: Balsamic Vinegar

I'll take my JD solo, ice. But now I'm wondering what a Martini with a hit of a really high end Balsamic would taste like...? No, that would be a waste of good Balsamic. I think your 'shots' idea might be the way to go.

Ответить