Balsamic Vinegar et al.
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worth1
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- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 12:32 pm
- Location: 25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas
Balsamic Vinegar et al.
I looked and didn't see a thread on balsamic vinegar so I started one.
It also includes other vinegar as well hince the et al in the title.
First in the what's cooking today thread I got off on the balsamic vinegar kick again.
I made a reduction and I practically nailed it compared to the central market 18 dollars a bottle balsamic vinegar they sell.
At least according to my taste buds.
How do I know?
Because I bought a bottle. This stuff is almost as thick as mine and almost exactly the same flavor.
The only difference was mine had the sting come in a little later by about 10 seconds than the HEB central market brand.
Mine cost about 4 dollars.
I bought another bottle for 10 dollars that has no stamp of approval on it and it not really worth the 10 dollars at all.
But I'll get into that later on.
I first learned about balsamic vinegar even the 100 year old stuff early on in the early 80s watching a cooking show on PBS.
Any type of aged balsamic vinegar was practically unheard of until the 70s.
"The first balsamic vinegars sold in the US arrived courtesy of one Chuck Williams, the founder of Williams-Sonoma, in 1977. They were presumably the real deal, but that was the start of a boom for imported balsamic from Modena that would soon see demand outstrip supply."
I couldn't even bring it up in conversation without having to explain what it was.
This continues to this day.
Yesterday while reading labels in the store a nice lady came up to me and said she could answer any questions about this stuff.
I looked like a typical hillbilly right off the construction site and a southern drawl.
Not somebody you would expect to be looking at expensive bottles of balsamic vinegar.
Sure go ahead.
She explained to me that it wasn't vinegar that was to be used in the regular fashion and so on and it was sweet.
She said she used to sell the central market stuff.
That's when I asked how long it was aged and how much of it was grape must.
Grape what she exclaimed?
Grape must.
The cheap stuff has wine vinegar first grape must second and other ingredients as well.
See look.
The women was literally flabbergasted when I told her some stuff sold for a thousand dollars a bottle.
And that HEB didn't have traditional balsamic vinegar in the two distinct bottle shapes that sold for over 100 dollars.
Well anyway here is a link explaining some of the mystery.
https://www.seriouseats.com/everything- ... ic-vinegar
It also includes other vinegar as well hince the et al in the title.
First in the what's cooking today thread I got off on the balsamic vinegar kick again.
I made a reduction and I practically nailed it compared to the central market 18 dollars a bottle balsamic vinegar they sell.
At least according to my taste buds.
How do I know?
Because I bought a bottle. This stuff is almost as thick as mine and almost exactly the same flavor.
The only difference was mine had the sting come in a little later by about 10 seconds than the HEB central market brand.
Mine cost about 4 dollars.
I bought another bottle for 10 dollars that has no stamp of approval on it and it not really worth the 10 dollars at all.
But I'll get into that later on.
I first learned about balsamic vinegar even the 100 year old stuff early on in the early 80s watching a cooking show on PBS.
Any type of aged balsamic vinegar was practically unheard of until the 70s.
"The first balsamic vinegars sold in the US arrived courtesy of one Chuck Williams, the founder of Williams-Sonoma, in 1977. They were presumably the real deal, but that was the start of a boom for imported balsamic from Modena that would soon see demand outstrip supply."
I couldn't even bring it up in conversation without having to explain what it was.
This continues to this day.
Yesterday while reading labels in the store a nice lady came up to me and said she could answer any questions about this stuff.
I looked like a typical hillbilly right off the construction site and a southern drawl.
Not somebody you would expect to be looking at expensive bottles of balsamic vinegar.
Sure go ahead.
She explained to me that it wasn't vinegar that was to be used in the regular fashion and so on and it was sweet.
She said she used to sell the central market stuff.
That's when I asked how long it was aged and how much of it was grape must.
Grape what she exclaimed?
Grape must.
The cheap stuff has wine vinegar first grape must second and other ingredients as well.
See look.
The women was literally flabbergasted when I told her some stuff sold for a thousand dollars a bottle.
And that HEB didn't have traditional balsamic vinegar in the two distinct bottle shapes that sold for over 100 dollars.
Well anyway here is a link explaining some of the mystery.
https://www.seriouseats.com/everything- ... ic-vinegar
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.
You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.
You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.
-
worth1
- Reactions:
- Posts: 14565
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 12:32 pm
- Location: 25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas
Re: Balsamic Vinegar et al.
2nd attempt at making balsamic vinegar condiment aka reduction.
As of now before making adjustments.
2 16.9 ounce bottles of HEB 3 leaf organic balsamic vinegar.
This vinegar has nothing but wine vinegar and grape must.
Nothing else.
5 ounces or a heaping 2 cups of white oak BBQ wood smoking chips.
I know they're white oak because I know what white oak looks like.
Post oak is a type of white oak.
1/2 teaspoon of MSG.
1 level tablespoon of Steens cane syrup.
1/2 cup of white sugar.
Off to the reduction laboratory.
The level is down to 7/8 inch which is half way I'll make more adjustments.
As of now before making adjustments.
2 16.9 ounce bottles of HEB 3 leaf organic balsamic vinegar.
This vinegar has nothing but wine vinegar and grape must.
Nothing else.
5 ounces or a heaping 2 cups of white oak BBQ wood smoking chips.
I know they're white oak because I know what white oak looks like.
Post oak is a type of white oak.
1/2 teaspoon of MSG.
1 level tablespoon of Steens cane syrup.
1/2 cup of white sugar.
Off to the reduction laboratory.
The level is down to 7/8 inch which is half way I'll make more adjustments.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.
You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.
You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.
-
worth1
- Reactions:
- Posts: 14565
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 12:32 pm
- Location: 25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas
Re: Balsamic Vinegar et al.
The vinegar reduced down to 3/4 inch.
After testing and removing wood chips I ended up with 15.8 ounces of vinegar.
The thickness was about right with the spoon test.
The added dissolved sugar made the mixture heavier so 15.8 ounces didn't fill the bottle back up.
During the process I could smell vinegar and oak wood.
The vinegar soaked chips won't go to waste.
Subtracting bottle weight to get accurate reading of liquid.
After testing and removing wood chips I ended up with 15.8 ounces of vinegar.
The thickness was about right with the spoon test.
The added dissolved sugar made the mixture heavier so 15.8 ounces didn't fill the bottle back up.
During the process I could smell vinegar and oak wood.
The vinegar soaked chips won't go to waste.
Subtracting bottle weight to get accurate reading of liquid.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.
You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.
You can't argue with a closed mind.
You might as well be arguing with a cat.