[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I'm not looking for a watery vinegar that some company slapped a label on to indicate that it's made out of balsamic. I'm looking for the actual traditional balsamic, which is thick and syrupy. I need it to make my salad dressing for Thanksgiving and didn't realize it was such a rarety down here!

I used to get mine from a company called Dash -n- Drizzle up north but they don't sell outside the region and the cost for delivery is actually more than the cost of the bottle so that won't be an option.

It is similar in consistency to balsamic glaze, but it has no added ingredients. It is fermented grape must, boiled into a reduction and stored in a wooden keg for 12-50 years (depending on the quality), and made exclusively in Modena, Italy. Several online companies sell it but again - shipping costs are prohibitive.

[kaydee]

I know exactly what you are looking for..balsamic glaze. Last bottle I bought I got at The Fresh Market. Maybe what I have has other ingredients. Good luck locating

[fromct]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I'm not looking for a watery vinegar that some company slapped a label on to indicate that it's made out of balsamic. I'm looking for the actual traditional balsamic, which is thick and syrupy. I need it to make my salad dressing for Thanksgiving and didn't realize it was such a rarety down here!

I used to get mine from a company called Dash -n- Drizzle up north but they don't sell outside the region and the cost for delivery is actually more than the cost of the bottle so that won't be an option.

It is similar in consistency to balsamic glaze, but it has no added ingredients. It is fermented grape must, boiled into a reduction and stored in a wooden keg for 12-50 years (depending on the quality), and made exclusively in Modena, Italy. Several online companies sell it but again - shipping costs are prohibitive.

Enjoy....................



Robot Check

[tophcfa]

Sounds like the exact dressing my sister puts on the salad she brings every year for Thanksgiving, and myself and a couple of other people won’t eat the salad. Do your guests a favor and put the dressing on the side. Most people rave about the dressing, but those who practice a low carb diet won’t eat something so sweet and loaded with carbs. I guess I am boaring, but it’s olive oil and red wine vinegar sprinkled on my salad, and hold the croutons.

[Boomer]

I hope you find your balsamic.

If you don’t mind sharing your recipe, I would like to try it.

Thanks.

[JSR22]

There is an olive oil and vinegar store ion Canal in Sumter - The Ancient Olive

[MangiaMangia]

I went to Amazon and there are plenty to choose from - some almost $200 and some $10.
Shipping is nominal.
You can probably find the same one you use.
Good luck!

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by JSR22

There is an olive oil and vinegar store ion Canal in Sumter - The Ancient Olive

Oh I'll check there, thank you SO much!

[Opmoochler]

Would also love your recipe!

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Some facts about Traditional Balsamic of Modena, since it looks like there's some confusion and this is actually cool info.

Traditional balsamic of modena is NOT balsamic glaze. As I said, it is grape must (which means - the crushed grape, including seeds, stems, fruit, and skins) that has been heated and reduced until it is a thick syrup. It is then filtered to get rid of any remaining solids. Then a naturally-occurring bacteria is encouraged to grow, which turns it into a vinegar (rather than a jam or wine). The entire vat is then aged for a minimum of 12 years in a wooden keg. It has NOTHING in it other than grape must, no other ingredients, no sugar added, and even the bacteria that turns it to vinegar is not added - it is part of the natural fermenting process.

A tablespoon of traditional balsamic has around 4 carbs. One tablespoon of this, will be enough to make a salad dressing for 4 people. It is naturally sweet, but also tart. Balsamic glaze was made to try and emulate the consistency and taste of traditional balsamic but fails, full stop. Glaze is fine drizzled on grilled chicken but it just can't match the depth of the real deal.

The term "traditional" has actual significance, it means something very specific. If you're buying something called "aged Balsamic Vinegar de Modena" you are not buying traditional balsamic. And even more confusing, some companies in the USA will put a label on their vinegar and call it traditional, but it isn't. Aged balsamic would have become traditional, except they added some grape wine to the batch to extend it and thin it out. If it's made in the USA, it's not traditional balsamic de Modena. Colavita for example - is just wine vinegar with balsamic in it to give it a little smoky flavor.

For whoever claims that no one actually likes it, I'll suggest that whoever presented it to you was either a) using a glaze and claiming or believing they were using traditional balsamic, or b) using the wrong proportions of the real thing and ruining the dish.

My recipe for the salad - enough for 8 people getting a side-salad with dinner:

Wild field greens (aka mesclun aka weed salad - dandelion greens, chickweed, chicory, wild mustard greens, etc).
Good quality gorgonzola cheese, crumbled - around 1/3 cup [edit - I typoed, said 1/4 but meant 1/3. Fixed]
candied pecans, in small pieces, around 1/4 cup
cherry (not grape) tomatoes, thin-skinned, cut in half (1/2 to 2/3 pint, depending on size of the tomatoes)

Dressing:

2 tablespoons traditional balsamic de modena
6 tablespoons olive oil - whichever you prefer for your salads. I use full-bodied but light is fine
3 cloves FRESH minced garlic
a few twists from a black peppermill
a couple pinches of recently-dried, crushed oregano leaves (not the old crap from the jar, I mean the stuff you steal from your neighbor's herb garden when you think she's not looking but she actually hopes you take it to prevent overgrowth)
1 pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon filtered or spring water (not directly from the tap, that just tastes nasty).

The water emulsifies and thickens the dressing so the oil and vinegar take a lot longer to separate.

Whip it all up with a teaspoon in a pudding cup, and then dump the dressing over the salad. Cover the salad bowl, shake it to make sure it all gets coated and all the other ingredients are evenly distributed.

You can make a dinner salad with this by adding blackened grilled chicken or steak strips. I've experimented and decided it does -not- taste all that great with fish, though it might be interesting with lobster or crab since both can stand up to gorgonzola pretty nicely.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Picked up a bottle of the Traditional from Ancient Olive. Thanks JSR22 for the head's up on that shop! This brand is just a little thinner than the one I usually get and it's more of a plum aftertaste but it should work fine with the cheese! The guy at the shop suggested I can always reduce it to thicken it further. Plus if I bring in the empty bottle they take $1 off a refill.

[l2ridehd]

Pastene has that specific balsamic on their web site. They do import it from Italy. I buy their crushed tomato's, olive oil and balsamic and have it shipped. They have specials with free shipping once you do one order. Their crushed San Marzano tomato's make the best gravy and that balsamic it great on my salad. And their prices are reasonable.

Oil and Vinegar - Pastene USA

[2newyorkers]

If you ever in the mood to take a trip try Mazzaro's Italian store in St Petersburg. Bring a cooler. I am pretty sure I bought my Balsamic of Modena (glaze) in Fresh Market.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by 2newyorkers

If you ever in the mood to take a trip try Mazzaro's Italian store in St Petersburg. Bring a cooler. I am pretty sure I bought my Balsamic of Modena (glaze) in Fresh Market.

I saw the glaze at Fresh Market, it had corn syrup and a bunch of other things in it. It'd be fine drizzled on grilled steak or chicken. Not as an ingredient in salad dressing.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Pastene has that specific balsamic on their web site. They do import it from Italy. I buy their crushed tomato's, olive oil and balsamic and have it shipped. They have specials with free shipping once you do one order. Their crushed San Marzano tomato's make the best gravy and that balsamic it great on my salad. And their prices are reasonable.

Oil and Vinegar - Pastene USA

That's just vinegar. You can get that anywhere in a variety of brands. Go visit the store Ancient Olive in Sumter Square, tell them you want to try the "traditional" Balsamic of Modena. Use that word, traditional, and don't use the word "vinegar." Otherwise they'll have you tasting all different flavors.