What is balsamic vinegar?

by Cookthink

Balsamic vinegar is a sweet, dark vinegar made from trebbiano grape juice that has been boiled down and then fermented through an aging process. True balsamic vinegar, or Balsamico Tradizionale, is a potent, black nectar that can be used by the drop to brighten and deepen grilled meat or fish or a bowl full of fresh strawberries. That one drop can be really expensive. One hundred milliliters (less than half a cup) of true balsamico routinely costs more than $100, depending on the age. (The small, wax-sealed bottle looks like it should be carried under a cloak and exchanged for a burlap sack of coins in a dark cobblestone alley.) Tradizionale balsamic vinegar is an Italian PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), which means that it has to be made in a specific region in a particular way to be approved and stamped by a governing consortium. The balsamic vinegar in your pantry probably bears no consortium stamp. But that doesn't mean it's not an authentic or good-quality balsamic. Some commercial balsamic vinegars (also called non-traditional or Condimento balsamic vinegars) are made in the traditional way. Other Condimento balsamic vinegars are made from red wine vinegar and a splash of traditional balsamic. When a Cookthink recipe calls for balsamic vinegar, it refers to the less-expensive, Condimento variety. For everyday use, an inexpensive commercial brand (we love Trader Joe's) will fulfill its duties to brighten and sweeten salad dressings and marinades. If you shop around for a mid-range balsamic vinegar, you might run across the new grading system called the 4 Leaf Quality Certification that was designed by a group of balsamic vinegar makers in Modena. Judged by taste instead of age, the grades run from 4 leaf (syrupy and floral) to 1 leaf (light and zesty). No matter where you buy it, if you're going to spend some money on a balsamic, make sure you buy from a store that allows you to taste and compare different varieties.