When considering Italian cuisine as an ethnic and cultural phenomenon, its apparent simplicity is striking in the first place. The ingredients are usually the most common, at least for the nature of the Apennine Peninsula. Flour, olives, meat, vegetables, herbs - these are the main sources of taste and usefulness of dishes prepared and consumed by Italians. And, of course, seasonings.
Recently, interest in this side of Mediterranean cooking has increased. Herbal kits, spaghetti sauces, pastas and pasta, prepared according to Italian recipes or made in this country, appeared in shops and supermarkets. Gourmet restaurants began to offer dishes containing balsamic vinegar. What is it and what is it eaten with?
The homeland of this unusual seasoning was the north-Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, which hosts such famous cities as Parma, Modena and Ravenna. The peculiarity of nature there is fertile soil, which makes it possible to grow almost everything that you can imagine. It was here that the art of preparing an exquisite and healing seasoning arose, which is balsamic vinegar. Anyone who has a hundred dollars can buy it - that’s how much a 100-gram bottle costs.
Balsamic is another name for this product. It looks like a dark syrup with a thick consistency, and it tastes sweet and sour. The shades of aroma are very rich, therefore, with ordinary wine vinegar obtained from sour wine, it has little in common. Just a few drops of this substance turn the most prosaic products (like tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, meat or pasta) into a perfect culinary creation, enriched with unusual taste nuances.
In 1046, the King Marquis of Bonifacio sent King Henry the barrel, which contained balsamic vinegar. "What is it?" - the monarch was surprised. After appropriate explanations, he decided to try the seasoning, and was very pleased with the gift. Since then, among the Italian nobility, a tradition has developed to express sympathy for each other, presenting this spice-delicacy. The secrets of production have been kept secret for centuries by three hundred Modena aristocratic families, although in general terms it is widely known about balsamic vinegar that it is grape juice boiled to syrup, into which acetic acid is then added to make it “play”. Then the product is aged in barrels, first in oak, and then made from fruit species of wood. The final stage of production is balsamic aging in mulberry barrels.
As in the case of cognac, the time spent in a wooden container is of great importance: the larger it is, the better. In this case, fermentation occurs cyclically - more intensively in the summer, slower in the winter. Balsamico Tradizionale, that is, a traditional product, requires twelve years of aging, and it may take up to half a century to obtain particularly valuable varieties. Real gourmets can say about balsamic vinegar that it is a delicious and expensive product. Of course, not everyone can afford it.
However, those who do not have a chubby wallet should not be upset. Accelerated industrial technology has been developed in Modena, significantly reducing the cost of this seasoning. Inexpensive balsamic vinegar - these are spices, natural dyes and thickeners dissolved in ordinary wine vinegar . Of course, one cannot compare it with elite products, but a general idea can still be obtained.