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The process of making the vinegar begins with gently crushing wine grapes and concentrating their juice over an open flame. This is then fermented twice to create the smooth and subtle sour taste. The liquid is then transferred into wooden barrels which is where the vinegar is actually made. As the volume evaporates and decreases, the maturing liquor is then moved to smaller barrels, where each barrel has its own special blend of aromatic flavouring woods. The production of the vinegar will tell the story of true traditional differentiation. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio are the best examples of artisan style vinegar. These are true balsamics made in the traditional fashion in Modena and Reggio, with the method of production dating back over 1000 years ago. According to the Italian mandate, only this variety can be classed as traditional balsamic vinegar. There are very few cases, like with traditional balsamic vinegar, where its history is actually the product. The earliest ancient writings which mention the vinegar date back to the year 1046, when the Emperor of Germany, Henry II, travelled to Rome for the coronation stopping in Piacenca. From there he wrote to Boniface, Marquis of Tuscany and father of the famous Countess Matilde of Canossa, asking for a gift of special vinegar which he heard flows in the most perfect manner. Traditional balsamic can be aged in barrels for as many as 75 years and has a smooth and almost honey-like taste and is less acidic and sweeter than commercial balsamic vinegar. It is a purplish brown colour and has a think and syrupy consistency. Both Modena and Emilia Romagana have consortiums that certify the quality and production of the balsamic vinegar, stamping it with a grade which indicates the length of time that it had been matured. While this vinegar was used in olden times for medicinal purposes, today its consumption is linked far more tightly to quality cooking and to the enrichment of highly prestigious dishes. Traditional balsamic vinegar can be used neat to dress salads, to accompany antipasti dishes or it can be used in cooking to liven up mayonnaise, sauces and pastes. It greatly complements red meats, game or white meats. However, it should only be added to cooked food at the end of cooking, otherwise it loses its significant aroma. True foodies can actually recognise the individual characteristics of traditional balsamic, according to the ageing process and the type of wood in which it has been kept in over the years.
Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.com/food-and-drink.php/211479 Article Added on Friday, February 5, 2010 LD
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