Villa Bellentani Aceto VSQP 8.5 oz

Italian Balsamic vinegar. Balsamico Estate produced. Villa Bellentani Balsamico di Modena 8.5 ounces Aceto VSQP. Black Label, (250 ml) Very Special Quality Product is a 12 year aged balsamic vinegar produced in Modena Italy. Dark colored and a full consistence.

Aceto Balsamico di Modena. Black Label - “Very Special Quality Product” (V.S.Q.P.)

This vinegar, mature and rich in flavor is aged for 12 years in small casks made of fine antique woods. This aging process creates a dense, pleasantly sweet syrup in which the flavors of the fruit and woods is discernable. The unique and delicate flavor make it a wonderful taste for oil and vinegar dressings or a treat which can be enjoyed on simple foods like ice cream or fresh strawberries.

Modena Villa Bellentini Aceto VSQP is syrupy sweet with only a hint of vinegar tartness. Aged gourmet balsamic vinegar is ideal in oil and vinegar recipes. This gourmet condiment is used as a dessert topping, drizzled over fresh fruits, ice creams or cakes.

Price $22.45

Technorati Tags: modena balsamic vinegar, Villa Bellentini, balsamic vinegar, Gourmet gifts, Mother’s Day gift, chef gifts, kitchen gift

Masserie Balsamic Vinegar

Masserie di Sant’Eramo Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Aceto Balsamico di Modena Acidity 6%
Product of Italy with Produzione Certificata

Masserie balsamic vinegar of Modena is made following centuries old methodology. Vine ripe red grapes are cooked to a concentrated red grape must. Aged wine vinegar accompanies the grape must while being aged in prized wooden casks in temperature sensitive environments.

Masserie balsamic vinegar is ideal for most culinary purposes. This artisan style balsamic condiment is made in the traditional method and aged as a high quality vinegar. Masserie di Sant’Eramo balsamic vinegar is one of the cook’s best choices when a gourmet recipe calls for balsamico as an ingredient.

The slow ripening of the grapes add to the body of the grape must reduction. The long aging process produces a condiment unlike ordinary wine vinegars. Masserie balsamic vinegar differs from the other wine vinegars because of the intense aroma, rich flavor, and intriguing contrast between sourness and naturally sweet undertones. A splash or extra drizzle of this quality balsamic vinegar is usually enough to give any salad or side dish an extraordinary taste and depth.

Aceto balsamico is used sparingly as a seasoning accoutrement. When added to a meat marinade it helps tenderize and flavor either poultry or red meat cuts. Balsamic vinegar can add a lift to soups, and a sparkle to both pasta and garden green salads. Enjoy a cruet filled with Masserie balsamic vinegar on the table to drizzle on top of a cooked dish or use with extra virgin olive oil as a bread dipping sauce.

Serve with crusty bread and fresh sliced tomatoes as an appetizer. Fresh vegetables can be steamed crisp and served with a drizzle of Masserie balsamic vinegar and coarse grained sea salt for seasoning.

Thinking of giving a bottle of wine for a housewarming or hostess gift? As a gourmet gift, Masserie di Sant’Eramo balsamic vinegar makes a better impression than the conventional bottle of Chardonnay, and will last much longer too.

Technorati Tags: Masserie Balsamic Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Masserie di Sant’Eramo, Masserie di Sant’Eramo balsamic vinegar, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, gourmet gift

Balsamic vinegar is a local product produced in the Italian regions of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Authentic traditional balsamic vinegar is an extravagant and pricey condiment. A small bottle of traditional aged balsamic vinegar can easily sell for several hundred dollars, especially if it is 30 to 50 years old. Balsamic vinegar is a treasured gift that is so highly prized, it is sometimes not sold at all. For centuries it has been saved by Italian families for special gifts and wedding dowries. A quality Italian balsamic vinegar is usually served by drops or a thin drizzle, it is never poured. A rich syrupy balsamic vinegar is often used by gourmet chefs as a dessert accoutrement. One popular recipe is simply to drizzle the thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar over a quality vanilla ice cream.There are three types of Italian balsamic vinegar. Traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena has a heritage dating back over a thousand years. Trebbiano grapes are locally grown and processed through the acetificio process over a very lengthy time. After the initial cooking and concentration of the Trebbiano grapes, the thick syrup is placed in special wooden vinegar casks for the aging process to begin. The family estate vinegar master oversees the yearly tending and transferal of this precious commodity from one barrel to another. Traditional balsamic vinegar is required by stringent consortium rules to be aged no less than 12 years.

There is a third type of balsamic vinegar that is produced by the traditional balsamico producers. It is a blend of traditional balsamic vinegar along with commercial balsamico. This product has become popular due to its taste and affordable price. Even though the content may only have 5 to 10% authentic balsamic vinegar, the producers have made this blend into a very palatable gourmet product. Italian balsamic vinegar follows centuries of Italian tradition. The rich flavored vinegar will be thick and rich and have intense woody aromas with a delicate balance between sweet and sour flavor. A quick tip of identifying quality balsamico is; If you turn a unopened bottle of balsamic vinegar on its side and the vinegar splashes very easily like a wine, it is not an authentic balsamico. If you tip the bottle to one side, and the contents is similar to the syrupy consistency of maple syrup, then you can tell it is a much better quality balsamic vinegar. The price will reflect it as well.

Technorati Tags: balsamic vinegar, balsamic vinegar grades, quality balsamic vinegar, balsamico

A Balsamic Vinaigrette with asparagus is a delicious healthy dish for lunch or dinner. The same Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe can be used with a mixture of green bean varieties.

Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus stalks or spears, washed and trimmed, (optional: a mixture of green and white asparagus spears)
3 tablespoons Italian aged balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed through a garlic press
1/4 teaspoon coarse fresh ground black pepper
Coarse sea salt to taste

Method:
To prepare balsamic vinaigrette: using a medium mixing bowl, whisk together aged balsamic vinegar, minced red onion, extra virgin olive oil, pressed garlic, and ground pepper. Let stand until asparagus is cooked.Cook, or blanch the asparagus spears in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until tender crisp, make sure not to overcook. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water, then drain. Arrange asparagus on individual serving plates. Whisk balsamic vinaigrette and immediately spoon the vinaigrette over asparagus, allow a little extra vinaigrette to pool on the side. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.

A balsamic vinaigrette can be very simple or can be made complex. Numerous herbs and spices can be substituted along with other flavors that mix well and enhance the inherent taste of aged balsamic vinegar. Search out recipes that include honey, seasoned sea salts, various nuts and seeds, dried fruit, and fruit juices. Gourmet chefs are constantly making new variations of the simple balsamic vinaigrette recipe.

If you’re going to use a vinaigrette over pasta, rice, or a potato salad, try using a little more wine vinegar and less olive oil in the vinaigrette recipe. These types salads invite a bit more wine vinegar taste and less olive oil.

Technorati Tags: balsamic vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, oil and vinegar

Balsamic Salmon Fillets, baked Sockeye Salmon recipe

Ingredients:
Two fresh sockeye salmon fillets, about 2 1/2 pounds each
one tablespoon lemon zest
two garlic cloves peeled and pressed through a garlic press
three tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
two tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
one half cup red wine
one half cup aged balsamic vinegar
one quarter cup unsalted butter
one half lemon, thin sliced
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place sockeye salmon fillets, skin down, in an oiled baking dish. With a basting brush, coat salmon fillets with olive oil. Mix together lemon zest, chopped thyme, and pressed garlic. Rub mixture of herbs over salmon fillets. Place baking dish with salmon fillets in the oven and bake at 350° for 40 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork. While salmon fillets are cooking, combine balsamic vinegar, red wine, and brown sugar in a skillet. Bring to boil and reduce until a syrupy consistency. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in unsalted butter. Spoon sauce over salmon fillets and garnish with a thin slices of lemon. Servings 8 to 10.

Technorati Tags: balsamic salmon, baked salmon recipe, salmon and balsamic sauce

Balsamic vinegar from Italy, is an aged reduction of Trebbiano or Spergola white grapes. The grapes are boiled to a syrup by being cooked very slowly in open fired copper cauldrons. The grapes are cooked until the moisture content is reduced by over 50 percent. The concentrated cooked balsamic grape reduction results in what is called the “must.” The grape ‘must’ reduction is put into wooden casks and an older aged balsamic vinegar is then added to promote the acetification process. Balsamic vinegar goes through a series of transfers from larger wooden barrels to progressively smaller wooden barrels. This aging process normally spans a period of twelve years. Every year the aging balsamic vinegar is transferred to different wooden barrels made from various wood varieties. In this way the balsamic vinegar obtains rich flavors inherent of the different woods. Popular wood varieties which the balsamic vinegar barrels are made from are: oak, cherry, chestnut, ash and wild cherry. Juniper and mulberry are the most difficult to procure, but are highly sought after for the unique flavors they impart to the balsamic vinegar.

Villa Bellentani, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Villa Bellentani of Modena Italy, produces balsamic vinegars that are classed in a gourmet category of their own. These balsamic vinegars are unlike other aged vinegars made simply from wine. Villa Bellentani balsamic vinegar make exquisite gourmet gifts.

Balsamic Vinegar that is nearly syrup.

Each balsamic vinegar we offer has been taste tested. All balsamic vinegars offered on our site are of exceptional quality and taste and have passed our stringent taste requirements.

balsamic vinegar, vsqp, balsamico, modena balsamic

Technorati Tags: balsamic vinegar, vsqp, balsamico, modena balsamic

1 pint fresh sliced strawberries
One half cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
One tablespoon fructose
Six sprigs fresh mint

Should serve six.

balsamic vinegar and strawberries, balsamic dessert recipe