It's got the BEST taste ... I've been loving it EVERY day as part of my new 'planned' diet!
Something that I found amazing to learn when writing this lens is that Balsamic Vinegar really wasn't all that popular in North America until the 1980s! The credit for popularizing this food product is attributed to the Italian food writer, Marcella Hazan.
I found several brands of Balsamic Vinegar at our local Publix supermarket and opted for Gia Russa Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, a product of Italy aged in wood, in a 16 oz. bottle. There are 5 calories for a 1 Tbsp. serving with 2g of total carbohydrates as sugar.
Since I first joined Jenny Craig, I've been enjoying Balsamic Vinegar Dressing NEARLY each and every day on my lunch spinach salads! That's a lot of Balsamic Vinegar!
Quick, are you a fan of Balsamic Vinegar?
Balsamic Vinegar at a glance ...
Balsamic vinegar () is a condiment originating from Italy.
The original traditional product, made from a reduction of cooked grape juice and not a vinegar in the usual sense, has been made in Modena and Reggio Emilia., since the Middle Ages. The name "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena" or "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia" is protected by both the Denominazione di Origine Controllata and the European Union's Protected designation of origin. Traditional balsamic vinegar is highly appreciated and valued by chefs and gourmet food lovers. The Italian food writer Marcella Hazan has been credited with popularising it in Britain and North America (where it was largely unknown until the 1980s)
Balsamic vinegar of Modena () a modern imitation of the traditional product, is today widely available and much better known. This is the kind commonly used for salad dressing together with oil.
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena
A Brief History of Balsamic Vinegar
www.godoc.it/history.htm
The first written documents date back to the XI century when in a chronicle of the benedictine Donizone, something is said about a small barrel of vinegar given as a present by Marquess Bonifacio, Sir of the Canossa castle and Matilda's father, to the King and future Emperor Enrico II of Franconia in the year 1046.Most probably already about the year 1228, at the time of Obizzo II, at the court of the ducal family of Este, barrels of vinegar were preserved. The diffusion of the balsamic started in the 1598 when the Duke of Este moved from Ferrara to Modena, that became the capital of the dukedom; there are documents of this period that confirm the particular attention that the ducal court had for this product that was usually reserved for the ducal family or as a present for very important people.
In the 1700s, the balsamic is already known in Europe; archive documents testify that an English merchant and the Count Michele Woronzon, high chancellor of Moscovia, asked the balsamic vinegar to the Duke Francesco III.
Balsamico Tradizionale Gold Label
Balsamico Tradizionale Gold Label
Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2008) 
The Best Balsamic Vinegars -- Only Grapes, Nothing Else!
whatscookingamerica.net/balsamic.htm
The best balsamic vinegars have nothing else added to them - only the grapes. Lesser ones will add brown sugar or caramel to mimic the sweetness of the better ones. If a company produces a "traditional" balsamic vinegar, they will also produce a less expensive, but high quality vinegar as well. This is the same vinegar with the same heritage but not aged as long. You can have confidence in purchasing these balsamic vinegars.There is a lot of confusion about balsamic vinegar as on grocery shelves you often find $3.00 bottles next to $25.00 bottles with $3.00 bottles sometimes having fancier labels. But, not all balsamic vinegars are what they appear to be.
True aceto balsamic vinegar comes in 3.4 ounce bottles and sells from $50.00 to $500.00 per bottle. It must be aged a minimum of 10 years.
The better balsamic vinegars are aged 25 to 50 years; these are not to be poured, but used by the drop. Find a good-quality medium priced one to use in your cooking.
Balsamic Vinegar -- How It's Aged
whatscookingamerica.net/balsamic.htm
Balsamic vinegar is an aged reduction of white sweet grapes (Trebbiano for red and Spergola for white sauvignon) that are boiled to a syrup. The grapes are cooked very slowly in copper cauldrons over an open flame until the water content is reduced by over 50%.The resulting "must" is placed into wooden barrels and an older balsamic vinegar is added to assist in the acetification. Each year the vinegar is transferred to different wood barrels so that the vinegar can obtain some of the flavors of the different woods.
The only approved woods are oak, cherry, chestnut, mulberry, a cacia, juniper, and ash. The age of the vinegar is divided into young - from 3 to 5 years maturation; middle aged 6 to 12 years and the highly prized very old which is at least 12 years and up to 150 years old.
Balsamic Vinegar -- Produced in Modena & Reggio, Italy
whatscookingamerica.net/balsamic.htm
The same country that brought you such notable artists as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, as part of the Renaissance, also provides a culinary artistry that offers incomparable quality and taste - the wonderfully adaptable aged balsamic vinegar, aceto balsamico di Modena.Balsamic vinegar can only be produced in the regions of Modena and Reggio in Italy. See this label? It shows that the Gia Russa Balsamic Vinegar is from Modena and aged in wood.
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena -- Aged a long time!
Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia
The many uses of Balsamic Vinegar
- ... liquid garnish on serving plates
- ... vinaigrette dressing for salads
- ... tasty accent for fruits and vegetables
- ... accent ingredient for breads and bruschetta
- ... cooking accent ingredient for meats
- ... accent ingredient for dessert recipes
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Recipe: Chef's Balsamic Vinaigrette
www.cruets.com
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup virgin olive oil
Add the vinegars, mustard, sugar, herbs, salt, and pepper to processor and combine.
Slowly add, with processor running, the vegetable oil and virgin olive oil.
As prepared by Philip Mastin, CEC, chef at The Lodge at Smithgall Woods, Helen, Georgia.
Cruets for Balsamic Vinegar
2 chamber cruet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Basamic Vinegar
Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2008)
Alimentitalia Condiidea Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Set, 12.7 Fluid Ounces
Amazon Price: $49.50 (as of 12/02/2008)
Recipe: Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
www.cruets.com
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional*
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup tablespoons olive oil
Mesclun salad mix or favorite greens, for accompaniment
Assortment of salad ingredients, such as cherry tomatoes, chopped carrots, sliced red onion, chopped celery, diced cucumbers, walnuts
Blue cheese, for garnish
Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until sugar and salt dissolves.
Then beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.)
Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Toss a few tablespoons of the dressing with the salad mix and desired salad ingredients, top with blue cheese and serve immediately. If not using dressing right away, cover and refrigerate, whisking or shaking again before use.
*If using a good quality balsamic vinegar you should not need the sugar, but if using a lesser quality you might want the sugar to round out the dressing.
Cruet Sets for Balsamic Vinegar
Luigi Bormioli Michelangelo Masterpiece 2-Piece Cruet Set
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/02/2008)
Bodum Barrique Oil and Vinegar Set
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 12/02/2008)
Balsamic Vinegar Dressing -- Jenny Craig Cuisine
If you ever have the urge to join a "diet plan," I can certainly recommend Jenny Craig. I took the plunge after seeing Valerie Bertinelli's TV commercial.Each day, either a garden or spinach salad are part of your planned diet. As you are given several choices for 1 oz. dressings, I opted to try the Balsamic Vinegar and Caesar dressings.
I've finally decided to stick to ONLY the Balsamic Vinegar dressings as those are the most tasty to me!
Nutrition Facts: Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
Jenny Craig Cuisine
Since I took the plunge a few weeks ago and joined Jenny Craig to shed a little unwanted weight, I've been eating alot of lettuce and spinach salads.My dressing of choice is the Balsamic Vinegar. Hands-down, it is the best that this diet plan has to offer.
I found a fantastically informational page on the nutritional facts of balsamic vinegar at www.nutritiondata.com.
Ingredients: Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
Jenny Craig Cuisine
Looking at the ingredients of the Jenny Craig Balsamic Vinegar Dressing, you'll note Balsamic Vinegar is listed fourth.That might suggest there's not too much of a Balsamic taste, but my taste buds CAN distinguish such a taste.
"I also love to sprinkle straight Balsamic Vinegar on my sliced cucumbers!"
Jenny Crag and ME!
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Jenny Craig and Me
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I opted for Jenny Craig as I wanted a diet plan that offered me prepared menus, along with a variety of tasty foods, and the support of the weekly one-on-one consultations. The progress on my weight loss has been fairly typical, losing on avera...
Recipe: Balsamic Vinegar Chicken Thighs by mickie49
www.recipezaar.com/71557
2 lbs. skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
cooking spray
Spray large frying pan, preheat.
Rinse and pat dry thighs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Brown well on all sides.
Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until thighs are done depending on size.
Add shallots, cook for 2-3 minutes,until they soften.
Stir in balsamic vinegar, cook for about 1 more minute, turn chicken to coat thoroughly.
Spoon sauce over thighs to serve.
Recipe: Balsamic Tomato Salad
www.cruets.com
2 Beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
4 oz. Crumbled gorgonzola
Balsamic vinegar
Virgin Olive Oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Arrange tomato slices on a small platter.
Sprinkle with chopped onion, basil, and gorgonzola.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Add freshly ground salt and pepper according to taste.
Quick, are you chefs out there ...
Recipe: Herb and Tomato Bruschetta w/Balsamic Vinegar
www.balsamic.com
1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
6 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted
Mix tomatoes, herbs and liquids in a bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.
Can be prepared 2 hours ahead.
Hold at room temperature.
Spoon tomato mix onto toast and serve.
Recipe: Balsamic Zabaglione Sauce
www.epicurious.com
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vin santo
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Cover and refrigerate.
In a stainless-steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, vin santo, and balsamic vinegar.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water or transfer to the top of a double boiler and whisk vigorously, using a balloon whisk.
Continue whisking over the simmering water until the mixture is thick and foamy.
Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking until the zabaglione is completely cool.
Gently fold the zabaglione into the whipped cream and chill for 30 minutes.
This makes a great dessert sauce to serve with desserts and fruits of your choice; strawberries, pears, etc.
Recipe: Balsamic-Caramel Sauce over Vanilla Ice Cream
www.foodnetwork.com
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water, plus more for brushing
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream
Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the cream warm.
In a large high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, dissolve the sugar with 2 tablespoons of water. As the sugar mixture begins to bubble, watch for crystals developing on the inside of the pan just above the liquid. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush the inside of the pan right above the crystals so the water drips down and dissolves the crystals back into the liquid. When the sugar begins to brown, occasionally move the pan to swirl the liquid gently and cook it evenly. Continue to cook until the mixture is dark golden brown. The total cooking time will be 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Very carefully add the hot cream to the sugar mixture a few tablespoons at a time. The liquid will bubble up dramatically. Stir the sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix well. Pour into a heatproof bowl. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of sauce. The sauce can be made several weeks ahead, covered with plastic, and stored either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, warm in a microwave oven before using.
Serve on top of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe: Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries
www.foodnetwork.com
1/2 packet (1 teaspoon) unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 pints (4 cups) sliced fresh strawberries
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated lemon zest, for serving
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 1 1/2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the cream, the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream and the 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour the hot cream-gelatin mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Pour into 4 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and pepper 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Set aside at room temperature.
To serve, run a small knife around each dessert in the ramkein and dip the bottom of each ramekin quickly in a bowl of hot tap water. Invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and surround the panna cotta with strawberries. Dust lightly with freshly grated lemon zest and serve.
Balsamic Vinegar photos courtesy of Flickr
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Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook
Balsamico: A Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook
Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2008)
Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook
Amazon Price: $12.38 (as of 12/02/2008)
Cavalli Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
La Piana Aged & Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar videos
Balsamic Vinegar in the news
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Drop me a line ...
Do you love the taste of Balsamic Vinegar? Have any great recipes or food tips? I'd love to hear from you.
Yes, much like Cheryl, I TOO could just about drink it as it tastes that good to me -- and come to think of it, I believe I've had wines that tasted like balsamic vinegar.
Qarina wrote...
I'm crazy about balsamic vinegar dressings - Such a beautiful lens! *****
Posted November 25, 2008
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
There are some things that just wouldn't come out right using regular vinegar. Balsamic vinegar has that little extra... I use it in a lot of my salad dressing recipes as well.
Great lens
Lizzy
Posted October 27, 2008
stargazer00 wrote...
I like to cook with balsamic vinegar. Some yummy sounding recipes here. 5* favored and lensrolled.
Posted July 31, 2008
KimGiancaterino wrote...
We use a lot of balsamic vinegar for salads and dipping crusty bread. It's great with virgin olive oil. Welcome to Culinary Favorites From A to Z.
Posted May 22, 2008
CherylK wrote...
I could almost drink balsamic vinegar - that's how much I love it! This is a wonderful lens. I'm learning so much from all of your lenses. Thanks.
Posted April 11, 2008
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