Myths about balsamic vinegar ...

8 years ago

Say what you will about this, but I find it [balsamic vinegar] an ease for my diabetes.

Also, for that reason, it is my dressing of personal chic for salads.

When I have had a bad day, and know I did not properly hydrate, I can usually stave off the nearly crippling, painful overnight shin and foot cramps by taking some of this before bed (2-3 Tbl).

Otherwise, there's a jar of store-bought dill pickles at my bedside. Gulping down the brine alleves the cramps in minutes. Yes, it's dreadful, but it's not that bad. It's research from ISU. You see that big jar with an 'X' on the side at fb games. It's dill pickle juice for athlete cramps.

But I digress.

Now, can a good store-bought balsamic improve with age in the unopened bottle?

I have my doubts. But I know we can buy the aged stuff, for a price.

I have some 5-yr and 7-yr old unopened balsamic in the cupboard. Am I just being naive, or will it improve with age? (mildly hopeful)

I would love to participate in a balsamic sipping party ... maybe some day.

Thots?

Dave

Featured Answer

plllog

8 years ago

You can also buy the electrolytes in packets and mix with water.

I haven't a clue about balsamic. I just use it. :)

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Comments (13)

2ManyDiversions
8 years ago
I have no idea if balsamic vinegar can improve with age! I have read you can add port and sugar to cheaper balsamic vinegar and reduce it to make a nice faux aged... have yet to try it, but would like to.

I also have leg and foot cramps, and have taken potassium supplements along with Gatorade - the Gatorade, much as I don't like it, seems to help the most. Both were recommended to me by my doctor. DH drinks pickle juice, but now he is drinking Gatorade too (and he has far less leg cramps as well). I didn't know to put straighten and put weight on the cramping appendage until DH told me. I'd tried massaging to no avail. It hurts only briefly to stand on a foot or leg that's cramping, but the cramps go away very quickly.
nancyjane_gardener
8 years ago
Darn! There was a baby water when my kids were little that the pediatrition said to buy instead of gatorade to re-hydrate, usually from the flu. I'm thinking something like pedialite? or something like that< You might ask at a pharmacy. Doesn't pickle juice have a ton of sodium?
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Oh, please don't throw it out. You could send it to me! Seriously, here is what Wikipedia says about Balsamic vinegar: "Only two consortia produce true balsamic vinegar, Modena and Reggio Emilia. Modena (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena) designates the different ages of their balsamic vinegar by label colour. A red label means the vinegar has been aged for at least 12 years, a silver label that the vinegar has aged for at least 18 years and a gold label that designates the vinegar has aged for 25 years or more[1]. Reggio Emilia (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale de Reggio Emilia) uses a similar system to indicate the age of their balsamic vinegars. A white label means the vinegar has aged for at least 12 years and a gold label bearing the designation extravecchio to show the vinegar has aged for 25 years or more[1]." Also, have you ever seen a vinegar "mother?" You are supposed to be very lucky to develop a mother. You can use it to grow more vinegar. Don't know where I learned this little tidbit, but the best balsamic vinegar is grown in ancient (centuries old) wooden kegs. When they become so ancient they are leaking or beginning to fall apart, they simply build new kegs/barrels around the old ones. So basically we are pouring dissolved oak/ash/chestnut/juniper over our tomato/mozzarella/basil salads! Here is a link that might be useful: Vinegar
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Found this: The best, and the traditional, way to visually examine balsamic vinegar is against the flame of a candle. The key attributes to evaluate are density, color and clarity. * Density. To evaluate the density, rotate and gently shake the vinegar against the bottleÂs internal walls to observe the coating it forms on the walls. Twelve-year-old vinegar will be somewhat fluid, but a 25-year-old should have a syrupy density. Excessive fluidity or density indicates flaws. Here is a link that might be useful: About Balsamic Vinegar
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Linda stole my idea! LOL! I was going to suggest a lovely spinach salad with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of any of the flavored Balsamics. There is also a recipe I have filed somewhere for a orange and fennel salad, I think the fig would be fab with it. I also have a recipe for a brie and pear strudel that would be WONDERFUL with a drizzle of one of the sweet balsamics. Or those palmiers form the Silver Palate cookbook with proscuitto and a drizzle of fig balsamic Then there is always the following: Balsamic Glazed Cipolline Onions The sweet sharpness of both the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar combines with the natural sugars in the onions to create a delicious snack that's perfect to serve with cocktails, as an addition to an antipasto assortment, or as an accompaniment to roasted meats. 2 pounds fresh small cipolline onions or pearl onions 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup fresh orange juice 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar Blanch onions in large pot of boiling salted water 15 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer to large bowl of ice water to cool. Trim root end if necessary, leaving core intact. Peel onions. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add onions and sautuntil onions have deep golden brown spots, about 9 minutes. Add orange juice and vinegar; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until onions are just tender when pierced with knife, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to medium bowl. Boil juices in skillet until syrupy and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Pour over onions. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm or bring to room temperature before serving.) Market Tip Cipolline onions are small, flat Italian onions. They can be found in the produce section of many supermarkets and Italian markets. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Bon AppÃ©tit May 2005 ************************************************************* Balsamic Glazed Vegetables Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray Recipe Summary Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings User Rating: 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of your choice of the following, or any combination of: "baby" packaged fresh carrots, brussel sprouts, yellow squash (you can also use broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini) 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon butter Salt and freshly ground black pepper Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish Place veggies in a pan with water and vinegar. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes. Remove lid and raise heat back up. Allow the water to boil away and the vinegar to reduce and glaze the veggies, about 5 to 7 minutes. When the vegetables are glazed, to a sweet, rich brown color add butter to the pan. Turn veggies to coat lightly with butter. Season with salt, pepper and serve. Garnish with parsley. For an optional glaze for the vegetables, substitute 1/4 melted butter and 1/4 cup honey for 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar. Follow method as listed. Episode#: TM1B58 Copyright Â© 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved ***********************************************************
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chloebud
8 years ago
2Many, I'll give the Gatorade a try. Been having bad leg and foot cramps at night. Putting weight on the leg and straightening it does help me. The worst are cramps up my shin. :-O
bragu_DSM 5
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Yes, there is a ton of salt in pickle juice. I also use gatorade and Powerade.

following has some useful information

this link right here
Lars
8 years ago
We went to a restaurant in Florence (mostly a pizza place that catered to American tourists), and they had a bottle of faux Balsamic vinegar that was their own concoction, and I called them out on it. I said they could not call it Balsamic because it was not from Modena, and I believe that is the law in Italy. However, most of the American tourists (who seemed like college students) loved it, but I hated it and refused to use it. The waiter we had was also a bit surly and would only speak English to me, even though I spoke perfectly correct Italian to him. We only went to that restaurant because it was across the street from our hotel and it was our last evening there. Food was otherwise okay, but not as good as in other restaurants in Florence.

Balsamic vinegar has to be aged in barrels to improve with flavor - it does not improve with age once it has been bottled, unlike some wines, or at least that is my understanding.
lindac92
8 years ago
Agree with Lars....what makes aged balsamic "aged balsamic" is the evaporation and concentration if flavor it gets from cask ageing The cheap stuff you buy has sugar added and other stuff... it's still good...but I keep the $15 for 4 oz stuff to enjoy a drop at a time!
Didn't know balsamic or pickle juice for leg cramps....If I can drink enough water and get enough magnesium, I am good....but I way too often wake with cramps in my feet and up my shin. Maybe I'll take to keeping a bottle of pickle juice by my bedside and see if that helps....but my goal is prevention!!
bragu_DSM 5
Original Author
8 years ago
Found a balsamic specialty store ... vomfoss ... in the chicagoland on the way out. spent way too much on aged balsamics and the store guy confirmed the fact that the bottled stuff won’t improve with age. it was slow and we talked a long time... and tasted many many types. I need to return there for a scotch tasting trip....
2ManyDiversions
8 years ago
Sounds like you got your "someday" wish bragu! Happy for you : )
bragu_DSM 5 thanked 2ManyDiversions
agmss15
8 years ago
A generous friend once gave me a small bottle of what turned out to be aged balsamic vinegar. After getting used to the difference in texture I enjoyed every single drop. So far though I haven’t braved buying the really expensive stuff myself. But boy was it delicious!
2ManyDiversions
8 years ago
agmss, you sound like me! Before I knew what aged balsamic meant, I thought why would people ever want to drizzle any kind of tart vinegar on fruit, or meat??? Little did I know! What a joy to actually get some good aged balsamic and learn the difference!
rob333 (zone 7b)
8 years ago
I've been to a vinegar tasting place with our beloved Annie [miss you!], in Chicago. It wasn't vomfoss. It was Old Town. They also have flavored olive oils. Loved, loved White Peach and Chocolate balsamic vinegars.
chloebud
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Someone once gave me bottles of both peach and raspberry balsamic vinegar. They were very good. Wish I could remember the brand.

I've been happy with any vinegar I've had from "O"...and their oils. Also like their cool bottles.

https://www.ooliveoil.com/

Myths about balsamic vinegar ...

plllog

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