Marlene Parrish
| The Herald Times
Balsamic vinegar may be the ultimate slow food. You may think you\’re buying true balsamic vinegar in the supermarket or specialty store, but that\’s because you\’ve never tasted the real thing.What you\’re getting is an imitation that rides the coattails of the artisan vinegar from Italy that takes at least 12 years to create in Modena and Reggio.It\’s all perfectly legal, too. There are no set standards for defining what may and what may not be labeled balsamic vinegar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration simply states that all foods, imported or domestic, must list their ingredients on the label.The Italian balsamic vinegar is sky-high expensive because the producers don\’t watch the clock, they watch the calendar in a labor-intensive process that requires great skill and patience. Fine balsamic vinegar has been described in terms usually reserved for wine extraordinary, complex, rich in fragrance and harmony between sweet and acidic, densely structured, suave and persistent.This non-vinegar vinegar is not meant to be an ingredient in cooking. Instead, it is ideal for dribbling in discreet quantities onto finished dishes, cheese, berries and ice creams. Above all, it is a true elixir to sip from a spoon or glass at the end of a meal.How can vinegar, of all things, be that good? That\’s what I wondered, too. So when I heard about a structured tasting of aged balsamic vinegars from Italy to be followed by a seven-course gourmet meal featuring it as the star ingredient, I put my pucker to the test.The tasting and dinner were sponsored by Les Dames d\’Escoffier, a group of women food professionals, at Primi Piatti Ristorante in Washington, D.C.The menu served after the tasting made a believer out of me: Red snapper with tropical fruit salad marinated with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Grilled tuna served over onions stewed with balsamic vinegar, pinenuts and raisins. Mixed wild greens with balsamic vinegar. Ravioli filled with greens and portobelllo mushrooms and sauced with a reduction of balsamic vinegar. Grilled filet of beef served with sundried figs and balsamic vinegar. Grilled loin of venison served with balsamic vinegar reduced with bittersweet chocolate. Fresh strawberries marinated with balsamic vinegar and sugar served with vanilla ice cream.The finest examples of balsamic vinegar are almost viscous. When the bottle is tipped, the liquid coats the glass. It mounds slightly when poured into the bowl of a spoon. It is used by the drop. The vinegars are rich brown, almost the color of melted dark chocolate. The flavor is both sweet and tart. Instead of vinegar, think condiment, a classy condiment.This certainly does not describe the raw, acidic, watery brown stuff called balsamic vinegar that is whisked into the salad dressing of your local Italian restaurant. So what\’s the difference?Balsamic vinegar originated in the Emilia-Romagna provinces of Modena and Reggio and dates back at least 1,000 years, according to Lynne Rosetto Kasper in her book, The Splendid Table. The name is derived from “balm” or “curative,” and originally, the vinegar was prized for its supposed medicinal qualities.Over the centuries it has been refined into the marvelous product we know today.All balsamic vinegars are not equal. There are three categories:
The true vinegar made by the traditional artisanal method is tested and regulated by balsamic consortia of Modena and Reggio. Commercially approved vinegar is also made in those provinces but doesn\’t have the top-quality seals of the consortium. Imitations are made anywhere else.Because you will pay a hefty price for either the real thing or the wannabes, read the label to confirm what you are getting.Look for these words Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena or Consortium of Producers of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale de Reggio Emilia. A vinegar with those words means it has been made by the traditional artisan method, has been aged for never less than 12 years and was produced in either of the two provinces, Reggio or Modena. These products cannot contain any wine vinegar or caramel coloring. If the label says only Aceto Balsamico di Modena, you can\’t be sure what\’s inside.Beware the numbers 12, 25 and upward often seen on commercially produced vinegar labels. These are called “style” numbers, much like those on A1 Sauce and Heinz 57 bottles. This is a trick to hoodwink the semi-informed customer, who might believe that it refers to age.The gold label, the Reggio consortium\’s highest rating, is the most extraordinary vinegar, meant for sipping from spoon or glass after a meal. One fine way to taste it is to arrange chips of Parmegiano Reggiano on a plate and place on each a single drop of vinegar. A recent Dean and Deluca catalog sells the 3.4-ounce bottle of gold label from Reggio for $175. Try not to spill.The silver label is also cordial-thick, with a deep Madeira-like nuance. Dribble this judiciously onto a piece of grilled fish or drip it onto strawberries. Dean and Deluca\’s catalog lists the 3.4 ounce bottle at $110.The red label goes on the lightest-bodied and fruitiest of the vinegars. It\’s a steal at $80 for 3.4 ounces.The distinctive shapes of the bottles will give you a clue as to quality. The traditional Reggio vinegars are in small bottles with voluptuous shapes, topped by a red wax seal. The Modena vinegar bottles are shorter, with bosomy curves set into a rectangular base.What you will find on most of the shelves of specialty stores in the United States are the commercially approved vinegars from those provinces. Most of these are packaged in tall rectangular, squat or wine-shaped bottles. The methods of their production are simpler than the artisan method and the finished product is less sophisticated.These are still wonderful additions to the pantry, however, adding a straightforward and intense note when blended into dishes. Get into the drizzle habit, rather than mixing and tossing. Try balsamic vinegar over a soup or stew, grilled vegetables and fish and over anything deep-fried. Use it also for marinades or any vinaigrette dressing.To boost the flavor and viscosity, you can enrich commercial balsamic vinegars by adding a little dark brown sugar, about a generous pinch per tablespoon of vinegar. You can also then reduce the vinegar in a saucepan to concentrate the flavor.And what about the “balsamic” vinegars you find in the supermarket?These impersonators represent an industrial effort to capitalize on the name and mystique of the unique genuine product. They are made from wine vinegar, concentrated grape must, cooked grape must and colorant.They sell well because balsamic vinegar is one of those magic, trendy words, thanks to relentless and heavy marketing and America\’s romantic notion of all things Italian.Balsamic Roast Chicken4 to 4 1/2-pound frying or roasting chicken (organic free-range preferred)1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves1 large clove garlic 1/4 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilFreshly ground pepper8 sprigs rosemary3 to 4 tablespoons artisan-made tradizionale balsamic vinegar, or a high-quality commercial balsamic blended with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugarRinse the chicken under cold running water. Dry it thoroughly inside and out. Set it on a dinner plate. Mince together the rosemary leaves and garlic in the salt. Rub the olive oil over the chicken, then rub in the herb mixture. Sprinkle with pepper. Put two rosemary sprigs in the bird\’s cavity, and refrigerate 24 hours, lightly covered with plastic wrap. Keep the remaining rosemary sprigs for garnishing.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Truss the chicken if desired. Rub into the chicken any of the seasoning that has fallen onto the dinner plate.Use a small heavy roasting pan and place the chicken in it breast side down. Roast 20 to 25 minutes per pound (about 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours), or until a thermometer tucked into the thickest part of the thigh or leg reads 170 degrees. Baste every 15 minutes or so with the pan juices.During the last 30 minutes of roasting, turn the chicken over to brown the breast. If the chicken is not deep golden brown when the cooking time is up, turn the heat to 475 degrees and brown it about 10 minutes, turning once.Transfer the chicken to a heated serving platter. Present it whole, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and carve at the table. Or carve into eight serving pieces and drizzle each with a little vinegar. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs. Serves six to eight.The recipe is from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
Dining and Cooking