Balsamic glaze, what is it? What is the difference with Balsamic Vinegar?

There is no doubt that there’s a wide difference between Balsamic Vinegar and Balsamic glaze, but how conscious are we about that diversity? Nowadays consumers are, always more often, used to buy Balsamic glazes convinced that the taste is similar to “real” Balsamic Vinegar, but is that true?

First of all, a Balsamic Vinegar is, as the name said, a Vinegar and, as such, the acidity is a value, not a defect. Maintain the right acidity in a product of long aging becomes a virtue when it comes to combine a good structure of perfumes to an adequate contents of sugars. Therefore, adding industrial sugars or concentrated grape syrup to sweeten the precious blend can been a “destroyer” of the authentic savor of the Balsamic Vinegar. This is what append to glazes.

Glazes (and creams) are products derived from Balsamic Vinegar or, rather, products made from balsamic vinegar, mixed with other ingredients such as starches, flours and sugars. Thus, it has no value compared (even by price) to a real balsamic vinegar.

Even if similar in color, Balsamic Vinegar and glazes taste totally different. Likewise also the consistency is really different: Balsamic vinegar is obtained only from the slow and progressive acetification of cooked must, whereas glazes are the result of simmering the Balsamic Vinegar and, by adding to this, flour, sugar and glucose, which serves to give shine to the cream. In fact, if we carefully read the ingredients of a glaze, or cream, we will realize that it is a very expensive product in comparison to its real value.

Instead of dressing your salads or enhance the taste of your dishes, for which you can verify that Balsamic Vinegar is the best, glazes can rather be used for decorating plates. As a confirm, in Modena, earth of Balsamic Vinegar original, finding a glaze on the table is very unusual.

A original Balsamic Vinegar is not, and it has never been, a product of few euro and the denomination “black gold” should suggest us something.

L-Originale Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena: www.l-originale.com