Traditional Italian balsamic vinegar and "The part of the angels"
It is the traditional form, passed down from generation to generation. Italians call it sills gold in perpetuity The ancient process, unlike any other, produces perhaps the most precious seasoning on earth: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar.
The Reggio Emilia and Modena regions have been producing the revered liquid since the Middle Ages. These are the only two regions in Italy that can produce real traditional balsamic vinegar. The names “Traditional balsamic vinegar from Reggio” and Traditional balsamic vinegar from Modenaare protected by Origin Protection Donation and the “Protected Designation of Origin” of the European Union.
Originally a product available only to the Italian upper classes, a cheaper form of balsamic vinegar was developed and widely available in the late 20th century. These products can be of very high quality, some even made using the same traditional methods, but few rival the carefully crafted and aged sour wonders of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
Most commercial balsamics sold in supermarkets today are typically made from red wine vinegar or concentrated grape juice mixed with strong vinegar and mixed with caramel and sugar. Additives such as guar gum and cornmeal are sometimes used as thickeners. There is no aging involved in the manufacture of this product. But regardless of how it’s produced, any vinegar that goes by the balsamic name must, to some extent, be made from grapes.
Traditional balsamic vinegar is typically aged between 12 and 25 years, although there are some hidden away in old attics that are over 100 years old. Older vintages can cost upwards of $500 for a 100ml (3.38oz) bottle!
Reggio Emilia and Balsamic Modena differ from each other in several ways. The most obvious difference is the shape of the bottles. Modena uses a bulbous, stubby bottle, while Reggio Emilia uses an inverted tulip shape. The two provinces also use different ways to indicate the age of their respective hearts. modena traditional uses a cream colored balsamic cap that is aged for at least 12 years and a gold cap that bears the designation extravecchio indicates that the jam-like juice has been aged for 25 years or more. royal emilia traditional acetone use a red label for 12 years; silver for 18 years; and gold for 25 years or more.
One can only imagine the claims of the various Italian families over the years as to which is the best traditional acetone. Suffice it to say that they are all extraordinarily delicious and syrupy, and when first tasted, they are a life-changing experience.
Tasting Traditional Balsamic Vinegar It’s a lot like tasting wine. The difference is that you taste a very small amount of balsamic. Traditionally, this legendary vinegar is tasted by placing a small portion on the back of the hand, in the shallow bowl created by the base of the thumb and the knuckle of the index finger, and licking heartily. Olive oils are often tested this way as well.
The key to any well-made vinegar, like fine wine, is balance. Of course, all vinegars will show relatively high acidity, but Aceto It has a well balanced acidity with the fruit of the vine and other flavors.
The artisanal process begins, as has been done for centuries, by cooking the grape juice in large copper cauldrons over open flames until it is reduced to around 30-50% of its original volume. what is the name of the result musto cotto (literally means: cooked grape juice). English-speaking winemakers call it a “must”.
Tea musto cotto it is aged in a series of up to seven barrels of successively smaller sizes. During the aging period, a small portion evaporates into the heavens: the part of the angels. The barrels are made from different types of wood, such as oak, chestnut, cherry, acacia, mulberry, ash and juniper.
None of the in development Aceto withdrawn until the end of the minimum aging period of 12 years. At the end of the aging period, a small proportion of the smallest barrel is removed and each of the other barrels is topped off with the contents of the previous (next largest). Freshly cooked must is added to the largest barrel and the ‘withdraw and fill’ process is repeated each year thereafter. The relatively small portion taken from the smallest and oldest barrel is the acclaimed Traditional Balsamic Vinegar!
Unlike wine, Aceto The barrels are not corked or pampered like their prized counterparts. The barrels are generally kept in attics where the windows are left open, exposing the barrels to the cold of winter and the heat of summer. The openings of the barrels are covered with fabric to allow the contents to breathe easily and experience the weather as it changes season after season, year after year; only to be bothered once a year by the in perpetuity process.
The subtleties of individual family recipes define each Aceto in its own special way. The combination of the variety and ripeness of the grapes, and the type and sequence of the wooden barrels make it a timeless art, taking years of attention to detail to produce. Some say that the precious juice: “tastes like time itself.”
The widely advertised vinegar is incredibly concentrated with the intense flavors of the grapes and hints of the different hand-selected wooden barrels. The grapes are harvested late to harvest the sweetest, most concentrated fruit.
Trebbiano is the main grape used for the traditional but other varietals such as Lambrusco, Occhio di Gatto, Spergola, and Berzemino are used in smaller portions to round out the cuvée, as are Bordeaux-style wines. The different combinations of these varieties are sometimes family secrets that have been passed down from generation to generation.
At a price equivalent to some of the best wines in the world, the use of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar it is normally limited to very small portions and thus rises to true seasoning stature. That is, a small amount is all it takes to draw goodness out of everything it touches, just like angels do.