Instructions: Broadly there are two types of balsamic vinegar: traditional or tradizionale and industrial. In Modena the ancestal home of balsamic vinegar every aspect of the production of tradional balsamic is strictly regulated from the growing of the sweet Trebbiano grapes to the shape of the bottle. After harvest grapes are crushed and the resulting mush cooked or boiled down to concentrate the sugars. This mush is then filtered allowed to ferment slowly and finally aged in wooden barresl. Vinegars aged 25 years of longer called extra vecchio command the highest prices. A good quality blasmic vinegar has a deep rich complex taste with a delicate balance of acid and sweetenss. Afew drops sitrred into some excellent olive oil make a sublime dressing.

Industrial balsmaic vinegars (the kind available in most supermarkets) avoid the costly ageing process and use herbs spices and sometimes less appetizing additives to simulate the complex aromaas and flavour of the real thing. In recipes where the vinegar is used in quanity or mixed with other ingredients industial balsmaics are an acceptbale and more affordable alternative.

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