Balsamic Selection
How do you select a balsamic vinegar? Don’t feel overwhelmed by the procedures and flavor differences. Consumers can be easily educated about the basic differences once you understand these yourself. Balsamic vinegar continues to rise in popularity as more people become aware of the wonderful flavor it can add to dishes. Both its taste and versatility guarantee that balsamic vinegars star will continue to rise. By investing in both knowledge and a good selection of balsamic vinegars you ensure customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Which to Balsamic to Select and use?
Like olive oils, different balsamic vinegars are best used for particular applications. Having more than one variety in the kitchen makes a lot of sense, and this should be promoted in shelf signage and promotional material. Some uses for balsamic vinegar follow:
• Use young balsamics or balsamic must for salad dressings and cooked vegetables (whisk one part vinegar to two or three parts olive oil together, adding salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh herbs). • A few drops of balsamic vinegar finish off cooked steak magnificently.
• Boiled potatoes and steamed vegetables will benefit from a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
• For a knock out appetizer, place fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
• Any soup will benefit from a couple of drops of tradizionale added as you serve.
• Great for winter, create a warm potato salad, boiling and slicing new potatoes in half. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar before topping with some chopped parsley.
• Balsamic vinegar poured over strawberries makes a delightful, flavorsome desert.
• Marinades for meats can be made using young, inexpensive
balsamic vinegars.
What’s in the name translation? Two of Europe’s best vinegar producers, France (vinaigre) and Spain (vinagre), take their word meaning from the Latin vinum acer, which translates as “sour wine.” The Italian word is taken from the bacteria itself though, hence aceto (pronounced ah-CHAY-to). In relation to aceto balsamico, the name is fitting as balsamic vinegar never really becomes wine, unlike some other forms of vinegar. The initial fermentation process does not proceed to a point where it could be consumed as a beverage. The wine stage is instead skipped as the acetobacters cause the grape must to form acetic acid.
selection of balsamic vinegar
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