Tuesday Food Tip: How to use Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar comes from Italy and is truly unique in

taste and texture. Balsamic Vinegar is made from the juice

of certain grapes and then aged in barrels for years. It has

 a wonderful balance of sweet and sour with a silky

smooth texture.  Balsamic vinegar is best used as a salad

dressing with or without olive oil. I love the richness and

velvety smoothness of this vinegar. However, when you

are using balsamic vinegary ou must be really careful not

to use too much. Take a little at a time and keep tasting

before you put more in any dish.

There are 3 kinds of Balsamic vinegar: 
(source: www.wikipedia.com)

1. Authentic traditional artisan balsamic vinegar, the only kind that may legally be described as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale
2. Commercial grade balsamic vinegars produced on an industrial scale.
3. Condimento grade products, which are often a mix of the two above

The really good stuff is obviously the first one. Balsamic vinegar can be "aged" almost like the process of aging wine in barrels except that you do not ferment the grapes for vinegar but you ferment the grapes of wine. These Balsamic Vinegars sometimes are aged for hundreds of years, those are obviously really expensive ones as well. Balsamic vinegar is healthy and I would encourage you to definitely use more of them in your everyday life. 

Ways in which you can use Balsamic vinegar:

• With Vanilla Ice Cream
• Take one tbsp Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tbsp Sugar with 300gm strawberries and boil. to be used over dessert
• Take 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and top with 1 cup red wine/water with 5 figs cut into half, to be slowly cooked together and to be used as a dessert
• To be used in Salads with Tomato, buffalo Mozzarella and Basil leaves
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar to 1 tbsp olive oil with a small pinch salt and freshly ground pepper to dip your bread with (yummy!)