On the occasion of the Palio, “Balsamico” samples are examined to get the top 12 prizes awarded, with a prestigious award. The manifestation takes place this year on the 22^th of June until the 25^th in honour of Saint John, the saint patron of the town of Spilamberto.

Samples remain anonymous until the award ceremony. The tasting committee’s evaluations are related to the visual, smell and taste standards of the product. After a first skimming, you continue with tasting sessions until you find the 72 semi-finalists first and the first 12 then. At this point, the 12 finalists receive at home two inspectors (the only ones who know the names of the producers) who in pair verify the compliance of the sample with the battery from which it was withdrawn.

The official, but still secret, list of 12 finalists is set by six taster masters on the first day of the San Giovanni Fair. The event usually takes place on Sundays during the Fiera di San Giovanni in the suggestive setting of Parco della Rocca Rangoni.

Of course the protagonist of the Palio is the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, but there also other characteristic products: the Nocino, or nüsèin in the modenese dialect is a liquor obtained from the nutmeg, by means of alcohol infusion; the “amaretti”, which are a kind of dessert pretty diffused in Italy, but those of Spilamberto differ from each other for their excellent qualities. The base recipe consists of sweet almonds mixed with sugar and snow-white albums.

Last year the winner was Gian Carlo Stermieri and he received the official diploma of the Consortium, a gold spoon and a bronze bas-relief. After a week from the prizegiving, the Gran Maestro marks the barrels of original Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena the winner with the consortium logo.

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

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The original “Traditional Balsamic” is the combination of different elements put together: the characteric grape varieties which grow in the area of  Modena, the typical weather of this region and the passion and love of the best producers who take care of the traditional production.

What is the traditional production about?
It is a long procedure which lasts decades according to the different aged vinegars. During its production, in order to obtain an authentic Balsamico Tradizionale, nothing will be added to the must. It necessitates a long period of fermentation till when it slowly matures. At this stage, the Balsamico Tradizionale acquires the typical balsamic aromas and then it is ready to the ageing stage when it becomes the perfect Balsamico Tradizionale.

One main feature vital to achieve an authentic Balsamico Tradizionale is the several wooden barrels where the “Traditional Balsamic”   is contained in the production phase. It is interesting to know that, there are five different woods used during the production. They are “chestnut”, “mulberry”, “cherry wood”, “juniper” and “durmast”. As they are listed, they are used during the production and the barrels have different sizes according to the phase in which they are required.

It is interesting, right? It is fascinating how these producers are able to provide one of the best delicacy, desired by gastronomic connoisseur from all over the world.

What can we add? Thanks producers for your commitment in producing one of the finest products and  in achieving such a high quality.

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

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Indeed, once fermented and acidified, the product begins to mature and aging, two phases characterized by the effect of enzymes dispersed in the liquid by the autolysis of microorganisms. Enzymes catalyse chemical-physical processes that produce more and more complex flavours and scents. In addition to this, during the years of maturation and aging, the traditional balsamic vinegar undergoes to a continuous concentration, due to the loss of aqueous volume by evaporation.

Indeed, aging is first linked to the time that balsamic vinegar spends inside the various barrels defined as “age” or “residence time”, but also to all the time dependent changes in chemical, physical and sensory properties of traditional balsamic vinegar.

The maturation phase lasts for about ten years: summed up with the two years required for the fermentation and acetification of the starting product, this justifies the 12 years required as a minimum requirement for the definition of ABTM (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena). The 25 years required for the old product are instead arbitrarily defined, as enzymatic and oxidative processes have practically no end, lasting for centuries. To allow the continuous exchange of oxygen, it is essential that ABTM should be stored and aged in substantially open containers: wood plays this fundamental role, as it is a material which allows the air passage.

The wooden barrell set is necessarily located in a place that is affected by thermal excursions between day and night, but even more between summer and winter. conversely, the cold winter is needed to slow down the evaporative process. And even today, barrels are located in the attic of the houses, so they expose aging vinegar both to the stiff winters and to the emilian summers.

Did you like this secret? Let me know what you think in the comments!

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

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Let’s find out how olive oil and balsamic vinegar are produced.

The olives are traditionally collected on net or by hand, selected and then passed to the extraction process. 2 methods for the extraction process are possible: the classic and the modern one. Other techniques include the use of physical and chemical methods; However, quality standards and standards stipulate that an olive oil can only be called virgin if only mechanical methods are used for its production.

To produce the balsamic vinegar, it is essential the employment of the grape must. According to the experts, balsamic vinegar is a key factor in three factors: the quality of the grape, the composition of the soil where the vine grows and the slow preparation and processing of the must. The preparation of the balsamic vinegar obtained without the addition of aromatic substances of any kind begins with the pressing of grapes in vinification vats; No more than 24 hours after pressing, the must must be sliced, which, after sifting, is then boiled on a slow fire to reduce the volume by about half. Then it cools down and moves into precious wood bottles, untreated with any product of chemical origin.

Both the olive oil & vinegar are important parts which ensure the creation of excellent plates, in particular the olive oil is one of the main components of the Mediterranean diet and it could be eaten raw or cooked. I suggest you to take a look to L-Originale Olio Extravergine di Oliva and the various types of original balsamic vinegar available on their site, such as the Inspiration Line,the Luxurious one and the balsamic pearls. Enjoy them!

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

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The Test magazine published in Germany, issued a well-documented inquiry into the quality of balsamic vinegar on the market in Germany. The title of the article caused a stir: Bluff aus Modena, Bluff from Modena. Some industrial balsamic vinegar would have included not only grapes vinegars (as required by the Igp specification) but also corn, beet and sugar cane. Also, the presence of heavy metals was detected. The complete results of the chemical and organoleptic analysed on 22 samples of balsamic vinegar of Modena are available on an anonymous basis in the German commercial network at www.test.de.
Almost half of the 22 samples did not respond to the strict EU standards and consequently, those balsamic vinegars are considered inadequate.

In November 2015, the German court in Mannheim recognized the Consortium of balsamic vinegar of Modena the exclusive use of the adjective Balsamic (which becomes generic, for example, for some products Pharmaceuticals) in a civil judgment that opposed it to the German society Balema: but this continue its site today to use the term balsamic vinegar on its products. Balema has appealed and this blocked the execution of the measure issued by the court: The Consortium should have to initiate a case to stop its marketing and the Italian Government asked the German authorities to seize the products, second the application of the ex officio clause contained in the quality package EU.

Do you think is it possible to find the original balsamic vinegar in the German market afterwards? And also, what we find on the supermarkets’ shelves in Europe are safe products and most importantly, certified? Let me know what you think and tell us your experience!

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

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Ingredients 4 people amount:

3 eggs, 1 cup of sugar + 40 g (1.41 oz- 0.09 lb), 3 spoons of 00 wheat flour, 250 g (8.80 oz- 0.55 lb) of ricotta or other cheese like quark, 3 spoons of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI + 50 g (1.76 oz- 0.11 lb), Nutmeg, cinnamon, 100 g (3.52 oz- 0.22 lb) of butter, 100 g (3.52 oz- 0.22 lb) of crumbled cookies, Crumbled macaroons.

Execution:

Whip egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture has a foamy texture.

Stir softly sieved flour to the mixture, then sieved ricotta. Add a coffee-spoon of cinnamon and strew the mixture with a little bit of nutmeg.

Pour 3 spoons of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI  into the bowl and blend all ingredients.

Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.

Whip egg albumens with 40 g (1.41 oz- 0.09 lb) of sugar. Mix them softly with the mixture.

Grease four baking moulds with 50 g (1.76 oz- 0.11 lb) of butter and cover them with crumbled cookies.

Pour the ricotta mixture into them.

Put them into warm oven (170°C- 338°F) and bake for 20 minutes.

Turn oven off. Let ricotta pies rest there for 10 minutes.

Prepare a Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI sauce blending 50 g (1.76 oz- 0.11 lb) of warm molten butter with 50 g (1.76 oz- 0.11 lb) of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI

Place ricotta pies in the middle of four dishes. Sprinkle them with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI sauce

Decorate with crumbled macaroons and serve.

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

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Ingredients 4 people amount:

2 pork fillets,10 thin slices of mild bacon, 3 spoons of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, 3 little pieces of butter, 3 spoons of extra-virgin olive-oil, 1 coffee-spoon of 00 wheat flour, 50 g ( 1.76 oz- 0.11 lb) of pomegranate seeds, 2 leeks, 200 g (7.04 oz- 0.44 lb) of spinach, salt, pepper, dry white wine.

Execution:

Salt, pepper and flour fillets on both sides. Warm a frying-pan and brown them with butter and oil.

Remove meat from the pan and roll it up into bacon slices, covering fillets completely and fixing with toothpicks.

Cut leeks to thin strips and let them brown together with meat cooking sauce. Add some water and some wine, to avoid singeing.

Add pomegranate seeds and pork fillets to the sauce. Keep on cooking pouring Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI upon the meat.

When fillets are almost ready, add spinach and make it cook shortly.

When cooking level is the suitable one, remove meat and spinach from fire.

Thicken sauce adding sifted flour and butter if necessary.

Serve fillets and spinach sprinkled with cooking sauce.

Pork Fillet recipe is concluded, enjoy your meal!

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

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Ingredients 4 people amount:

300 g (3.52 oz- 0.22 lb) ravioli of durum-wheat semolina, 150 g(5.28 oz- 0.33 lb) of 00 wheat flour , 3 eggs , 100 g(3.52 oz- 0.22 lb) of butter, 150 g (5.28 oz- 0.33 lb) of red chicory like Trevigiano, 1 shallot, 3 little pieces of butter, 1 glass of dry white wine, 2 spoons of béchamel,  100 g (3.52 oz- 0.22 lb) of grated seasoned Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, 3 spoons of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP

Execution:

Mince shallot and let it brown in a pan with 3 little pieces of butter. Wash, clean and cut chicory to strips and put it into the pan.

Let them cook adding white wine and evaporating alcohol.

After cooking, put the mixture in a pot and mix up with béchamel and the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Salt and pepper.

Prepare a dough with semolina, flour, eggs and 100 g of butter.

Roll it out quite thin and form raviolis with a glass or a stamp.

Fill them using a spoon of the filling and close them Boil raviolis in abundant salt water.

When they come to the surface, cooking time has expired.

Strain off water from them and season with butter and Parmesan cheese.

Let them roast quickly in warm oven. Serve warm with some Balsamic Vinegar drops on top of them.

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

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Ingredients 4 people amount:

1 endive salad bush, 200 g (7.04 oz- 0.44 lb) of salad, 150 g (5.28 oz- 0.33 lb) of red and green chicory, 2 pears, 3 spoons of extra-virgin olive-oil, 150 g (5.28 oz- 0.33 lb) of sheep ricotta, 8 walnut kernels, 1 spoon of honey,salt, pepper, 2 lemons, 2 spoons of Condiment Pear and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO

Execution:

Peel pears, cut them to dice and sprinkle them with lemon juice.

Warm up oil in a frying-pan. Add honey, salt, pepper and let pear dice roast brown there.

Clean endive, salad and chicory, cut them and divide them into four dishes.

Place ricotta, minced walnut kernels, roasted pear dice upon every dish.

Season with oil, salt, pepper and Condiment Pear and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP.

Go back to discovering all the secrets and ways of using this extraordinary product.

See you:-)

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

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