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Vinegar Information

Real VINEGAR adds real flavor

Distinctive vinegars are making a big splash these days. Chefs and home cooks alike have realized the flavor possibilities that today’s heady vinegars offer. From Spanish sherry vinegar to Italy’s famed balsamic vinegar, to fruit vinegars pressed exclusively from fruits other than grapes (  apples, currants, pears to name a few ) this ancient condiment has become the new playground for cooks seeking to add flavor without adding sweetness or heat. In fact, in some cases, salt can be reduced or eliminated if vinegar is used in a dish.

Vinegar is an essential component that adds verve and backbone to a recipe, be it as elemental as pairing  an agrodolce ( late harvest ) Sauvignon Blanc wine vinegar with a slightly peppery olive oil for a seasonal pear, walnut and baby spinach salad, or the addition of a splash of a nutty, aromatic sherry vinegar to an end-of-summer chilled gazpacho or a simple tapas-inspired dish of chorizo, garlic and white beans.

In recent years Americans have embraced the sweet-sour glory of balsamic vinegar, a very heady departure from the clean-edges of the prim but delicious French tarragon and shallot white wine vinegars that reigned supreme during Julia’s heyday on television program The French Chef in the 1970’s.

In the late 1980’s the Silver Palate took NYC ( and the rest of foodie-America ) by storm with their innovative recipes and new, fresh approach to food. They lit a spark of interest in America for raspberry and blueberry vinegars that  began the ascendancy of fruit vinegar as a gourmet ingredient and essential flavor component.

Today, all manner of artisan vinegars can be found. Some tend towards being dry or sweet,  others fruity or piquant. Some are thick and dark in color, others are thin, golden, tawny or port-like in color. My pantry is full of flavorsome vinegars, and I use them all with great delight. It is as important to me that I choose the right vinegar to enhance my dish and I select it with as much consideration as I do olive oil, salt, cheese, spices and herbs, and wine. I select vinegar based on the dish and the harmony of flavors that I want the vinegar to bring to the dish.

Despite what many think, vinegar is not spoiled wine. Yes, wine vinegar is made from grapes, and vinegar can be made at home from leftover wine ( plus the addition of a mother, a fermentation keg, etc. ) but the process used to make wine is different than the process used to make vinegar.

The winemaking process converts fruit sugar into alcohol; vinegar-making converts the fruit sugar into a dilute 10-13 % alcohol then employs a bacterial fermentation to convert the alcohol in the fruit sugar into acetic acid, or vinegar. This same process yields stunning, albeit more costly results with other fruit such as apples, pears, cherries or figs.

When skilled vinegar makers use sound, ripe fruit and barrel age their products, great vinegar results. Many European and California wine makers reserve a portion of their grapes for vinegar making. I love the distinctive flavors that these grapes give to the vinegar, and can often taste the ‘wine grape ‘ in the bottle.

Short cuts, speedy production and damaged fruit compromise flavor.  Those of us who grew up with flavorless, colorless and just plain nasty vinegar in the pre-Julia days remember all too well when vinegar was anything but gourmet.

The best vinegars adds a tart, sharp, clean, distinct snap to vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces, chutneys and pickles. Vinegars should be a good marriage of flavor and acidity and add something to the conversation that is going on between all of the food elements on the plate.

Great vinegars are very reasonably priced, and most cost less than a good bottle of wine. And vinegar keeps well for years. Enthusiastic cooks have spice cabinets or spice drawers – why not a vinegar shelf as well ?

Wine….sugar to alcohol
Wine Vinegar…..alcohol to acid
Balsamic Vinegar….sugar to acid

Balsamic Vinegar

In Italy, mature balsamic vinegar is used both as a seasoning (condiment), and as vinegar. In addition to pairing various balsamic vinegars with a great olive oil to drizzle over salad greens, juicy tomatoes, or fresh mozzarella cheese, try anointing a succulent steak, pork tenderloin, or lamb kabob with a few drops of `balsamic vinegar while hot off the grill. Balsamic is also excellent sprinkled on grilled asparagus, fresh garden peas, snappy green beans, or a rough-cut chunk of fragrant Parmigiano-Reggiano. For a real Italian treat, try a few drops of balsamic vinegar on very ripe sweet fruit, such as fresh summer strawberries or peaches. Bellissimo !

Balsamic vinegar is aged in a series of five different wooden barrels, each of which adds flavor and complexity to the vinegar. Woods include chestnut (rich in tannin and helps create rich dark color), cherry (sweetness), mulberry (to lend a hint of vanilla to the flavor), juniper (provides a resinous aroma), and oak (to seal the different flavors).

Balsamic vinegar is produced at 4 levels of quality.

The top grade, Tradizionale, is the original, most expensive and highly-revered balsamic. You will pay handsomely for a noble bottle of this elixir that has been crafted in the traditional way by an artisan producer. This balsamic is superbly lush and intense, syrupy with complex flavors and heady aromas.

The next level is known as Artigianale. These balsamics are smooth, full-bodied, and polished, and have a tangy, fruity finish.

The third level is Condimenti. These balsamics are well-rounded and spirited, brisk, yet vibrant - the balsamics of everyday use in Italy.

Lastly is the Industriale, the low-level cheap stuff that is best avoided. As with many things, you get what you pay for when purchasing balsamic vinegar - you will never find better-quality balsamic at discount prices. There is just not enough of it.

Both Artigianale and Condimenti balsamics are a way for Tradizionale producers to bring to market a well-crafted product that possesses both good style and integrity of flavor, yet is more easily affordable.
 


ABOUT PDO OR DOP AND PGI

Quality is an issue for every farmer and buyer, whether dealing with commodities produced to basic standards or with the high-end quality products in which Europe excels. EU farmers must build on high quality reputation to sustain competitiveness and profitability.

EU law lays down stringent requirements guaranteeing the standards of all European products. In addition, EU quality schemes identify products and foodstuffs farmed and produced to exacting specifications.

Three EU categories known as PDO and DOP (protected designation of origin), PGI (protected geographical indication) and TSG (traditional speciality guaranteed) promote and protect names of quality agricultural products and foodstuffs.
 
These categories encourage diverse agricultural production, protect product names from misuse and imitation and help consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of the products. Products protected under a PDO, PGI or TSG mark cannot be produced using inferior ingredients and production methods without discontinuing
use of the name.:

  • PDO and DOP- covers agricultural products and foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.
  • PGI- covers agricultural products and foodstuffs closely linked to the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area.
  • TSG- highlights traditional character, either in the composition or means of production

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