I
0 1
N
EDIENT 1 R G
Balsamic Vinegar WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES
Growing up I think there were only two types of vinegar in my parents’ pantry, malt and white. In comparison, my pantry contains a whole shelf of vinegars – white wine, red wine, chardonnay, sherry, rice, Chinese black vinegar… OK, so my pantry may not be a good example, but I bet yours contains at least a few different vinegars, and one of these is likely to be balsamic, a vinegar now common place but unheard of in New Zealand 50 years ago. So common, balsamic even has its own TikTok craze, where a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar is added to sparkling water for a so-called healthy Coke alternative. I recently got chatting to Liz from Vetro Tauranga. We were standing in the vinegar aisle, and she was showing me their new range of Carandini balsamic vinegars and glazes, and I discovered there was a lot more to know about balsamic vinegars. ACETO BALSAMIC TRADIZIONALE Traditional, authentic balsamic vinegar can only come from Reggio Emilia and Moden in Italy. Like so many traditional foods from Europe that are steeped in history but loved the world over, balsamic vinegar is controlled by a set of rules to protect it from fakes as well as good imitations. Authentic balsamic vinegar will be labelled Aceto Balsamic Tradizionale and will have a D.O.P (Denominazione d'Origine Protetta) stamp. To conform to these EU rules, traditional balsamic vinegar can only be made from grape must ( juice) from grapes grown in the Modena and Reggio Emilia regions and contains no
other ingredients. The grape must is boiled in huge cauldrons outdoors over open flame to reduce its volume and concentrate its sugars. It is then fermented in a series of wooden barrels that successively get smaller. This process, which uses barrels made from various woods, takes a minimum of 12 years and allows the vinegar to acquire complex flavours, mellowing its acidity while also becoming more concentrated and have a syrupy consistency. This long and complex process is also why traditional balsamic vinegar is expensive and shouldn’t be wasted by using to cook with. Heat will destroy the unique bouquet while adding oil or other ingredients to make a dressing will sully the precious flavours. Instead, use this prized vinegar as a drizzle where it will shine. Drizzle over fresh strawberries or parmesan cheese, over a risotto, or a creamy dessert like panna cotta or vanilla ice cream. BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA Don't confuse these bottles with the traditional balsamic; it's a completely different process, and thus price point. For centuries it has been a farmhouse practice to mix concentrated grape must with wine vinegar and some aged vinegar to make a vinegar for everyday cooking. This is what “Balsamic Vinegar of Modena” is, a vinegar made from a mix of grape must and wine vinegar, produced at an industrial scale, to meet global demand for balsamic vinegar. Balsamic
4-14 APRIL 2024
Festival programme and tickets out February 2024. Make sure to sign-up for festival news and be the first in line! flavoursofplentyfestival.com
PAGE 18 | WWW.NOURISHMAGAZINE.CO.NZ
Join us for a culina ry explos ion across the Coasta l Bay of Plen ty!
