Two of my previous posts mention balsamic vinegar here and there. Someone asked me what exactly is this kind of vinegar and how come it is used so sparingly?

Aceto Balsamico, its Italian name, is a vinegar traditionally produced in Modena. It has acquired a D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) from the Italian government, a protective status which means no other producers but those from Modena and following the strict process can call their vinegar 'balsamic'.

What makes balsamic vinegar so special and oh so expensive? It is made from the unfermented juice (called 'must') of very mature Trebbiano grapes which is then boiled and reduced into a thick syrup - the extract. The mother vinegar (yeasty substance that forms on the surface of the vinegar) is added then the mixture is aged in wooden barrels for at least twelve years.

If you'd like to read a first-hand account of balsamic vinegar tasting, click over and read Clotilde's A Taste of Balsamic Vinegar.