I want to share a bit about Balsamic Vinegar.
What? No, I’ve not lost my mind. It’s just that I cook with Balsamico quite a bit, and I’ve learned some lessons.
But first – did you know Balsamico barrels are willed in some Italian families? Did you know that the most aged varieties not only come with eye-droppers for dispensing, but can also cost upwards of a few hundred dollars for only a few ounces? Since I use the stuff so much, you can understand why I care. So here goes the share-ful part…
The above photo shows the 5 Balsamic vinegar variations I currently have on-hand. Sometimes I have more, sometimes fewer. But I usually have the jug and the smaller bottles in the kitchen. And there are reasons for that.
The smallest bottle in the center is the dearest. I mean that in the sense that it is important to me (as a food dork), and in the sense that it is the most expensive. I got it in Italy (though it is available in America) and it’s aged the longest of all my vinegars. (In Balsamico, age can be a tremendous factor.) This particular bottle’s content is at least 30 years old, if not older. It’s thick, syrupy, and I only use it when I want a Balsamico wow factor. And even then, I use it sparingly. Like – by drops. Seriously.
The next smallest bottle – with the red “Trader Joe’s” label – is aged 10 years. I use it for some oomph on salads or fruit, or for drizzling. It isn’t very expensive and I tend to keep it on hand. I go through a few bottles of this one each year.
The two tallest bottles are “tourist” vinegars. By that I mean they were purchased while I was being a tourist and went to a tasting. They’re flavored (one is vanilla & fig, the other is pomegranate) and I use them when I want a bit of a different taste for things. I also drizzle these from time to time. When they’re gone, I probably won’t replace them specifically. I may end up trying some other variation though, as I can’t always resist the trying.
The jug. This one’s the work-horse of my kitchen. It’s the cheapest of all my collection and the one I’m most apt to use when cooking. I would never use my spendy Balsamico for a reduction, but the jug variety gets reduced all the danged time. If I need to bake something in any sort of Balsamico, I turn to the jug. If the vinegar is going to be mixed with so many other ingredients that it is merely part of the flavor instead of the stand-out flavor, I use the jug. Because it’s inexpensive, I don’t mind cooking with it. I go through a few of these jugs each year.
Balsamic vinegar is a staple of my kitchen. If you’ve been hesitant to try it, don’t worry. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a fancy variety. Buy the cheap jug! Cook with it! Reduce it! Throw some in your spaghetti sauce! Throw some in gazpacho! Don’t fear Balsamico! It’s my friend, and it can be yours, too.
Okay – that’s the end of this tutorial. I apologize for the vinegar fixation.
But hey – at least it’s an innocent fixation. Word.