First, we have three ways to recognize a good aged balsamic vinegar: visual, olfactory and taste analysis.

Let’s start with the visual analysis!
To evaluate the quality of a aged original balsamic vinegar of Modena, pour in a glass about 20 g of vinegar. With a rotating movement, typical of wine tasting, you can observe the density level of balsamic vinegar. The more the veil of vinegar on the glass walls will often be, the more vinegar is dense. By placing a candle lit below the chalice, you can see its clarity. Colour must be of a beautiful brown dark, load and bright; The density, on the other hand, must be syrupy and liquid. A different colour or too liquid consistency indicates poor quality of the starting wine.

For the second analysis, take the cup with your right hand , in way to heat its contents. With your left hand, however, cover your glass. Remain like this until the vinegar will not be slightly heated. At this point, take your left hand out of the chalice and breathe, three times and in discontinuous, with closed eyes. Try to smell the scent and acidity of aged balsamic vinegar, as well as their intensity and persistence. The smell of a good aged balsamic vinegar must be complex but balanced, strong but at the same time sweet and, above all, persistent.

Finally, we now analyse the real tasting process. At this stage, you have to taste a small amount. Once the vinegar is brought to the mouth, pour the liquid against the palate: so, the bouquet of perfumes and aromas will be released throughout the oral cavity. At this point, keep the origina balsamic vinegar in the mouth by sliding it evenly on the tongue and then inside the cable. The flavour should be sweet but slightly acidic, aromatic and intense.

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

(amazon.IT)  (amazon.UK)  (amazon.DE)  (amazon.ES)  (amazon.FR)

The post Aged Balsamic Vinegar: how to taste it. appeared first on Use Balsamic Vinegar.

During the natural aging process the product develops a progressive thick balsamic ness which, however does not have to become excessive. 

As you may imagine a thick balsamic vinegar  is a sign for a superior quality product, its density is considered a positive characteristic.

During the natural aging process the consistency improves gradually but it doesn’t have to be excessive.

Let’s clear up this matter.

Original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP (it can be sold by law on an industrial scale after only 60 aging days and a minimum density of 1,06) For this kind of vinegar only:
Cooked must, Wine vinegar, And a maximum of 2% of caramel, are requested by law.

Usually on the data sheet or label of the product you can also read a value of density. In this case you should prefer products with a higher density, as this means an increased percentage of cooked must in it (positive feature).

How can you calculate the density of the product?
According to weight to liter: if the weight of one liter of final product is 1,10 kg, its density is 1,10.
If the weight of one liter of final product is 1,20 kg, its density is 1,20.

But beware: a high density can also be a negative feature!

This phenomenon usually occurs with the original Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO, where the only admitted ingredient by law is the cooked must (this product is handmade and sold after an aging of minimum 12 or 25 years in wood barrels).

A too thick traditional balsamic vinegar is NOT a good vinegar as the refining of the product in the barrel was not correct.

As you may notice in the video, sometimes the product gets an appearance and consistency, which render it unusable.

The exact viscosity and pourability, which are the essential features for an excellent Traditional Balsamic Vinegar falls through and a very dense layer of the product settles to the bottom of the bottle. The flavour of the product remains unchanged but if you taste it you may feel a light granularity, which can spoil your recipes.

Have you ever tried a real thick Traditional Balsamic vinegar of Modena POD?

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

(amazon.IT)  (amazon.UK)  (amazon.DE)  (amazon.ES)  (amazon.FR)

The post Thick Balsamic Vinegar – As you can imagine the density of a balsamic vinegar is considered a positive characteristic. appeared first on Use Balsamic Vinegar.

Would you like to create a dish easy and tasty?

Ingredients 4 people amount:

300 g (10.56 oz- 0.66 lb) of carrots ,  3 little pieces of butter , 1 big potato ,  1 tuft of fresh mint , 2 cups of 00 wheat ,3 spoons of extra-virgin olive-oil ,1 egg , 1 onion , 10 little round tomatoe, 1 yolk , 100 g (3.52 oz- 0.22 lb) of grated Parmesan cheese, basil, butter, salt, pepper, , 1 tea-spoon of sugar , 2 spoons of original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI for the balsamic dressing.

Execution :

Peel off carrots and potato, boil them in salt water and keep boiling water after straining it off from vegetables.

Crush vegetables together to obtain a dense mixture.

Add wheat, egg, yolk, salt, pepper and 50 g (1.76 oz- 0.11 lb) of grated Parmesan cheese. Blend well.

Sprinkle a chopping-board with wheat and divide the mixture into small balls.

Roll balls out to obtain long cylinders. Form many little gnocchi (about 2 cm long) cutting cylinders with a sharp knife.

Chop up onion and let it fry slightly with oil and butter. Add water until onion becomes transparent.

Salt and pepper. Clean the tomatoes, divide them into halves and clean off seeds. Mince them and add them to onion. Sprinkle with sugar and add the original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Let it cook and add water if necessary, until you obtain a tomato confit.

In the meanwhile, boil gnocchi in abundant salt water and strain off water when they come to the surface.

Mix gnocchi with vegetables sauce with balsamic dressing.  Let them fry quickly, then add basil and mint.

Season with butter and grated Parmesan cheese left over, then take off from fire and serve immediately.

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

(amazon.IT)  (amazon.UK)  (amazon.DE)  (amazon.ES)  (amazon.FR)

The post Balsamic dressing for your “gnocchi” appeared first on Use Balsamic Vinegar.