Customers can’t seem to get enough of all the flavored balsamic vinegars we now carry, but that didn’t stop them for asking for more. So, we’ve added three new flavors that should inspire even more creativity in the kitchen: Lemon Balsamic Vinegar, Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar and Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar. Our intrepid tasters and testers in The Olive Oil Source Kitchen tried them all out and found there was no end to experimentation. So whether you are looking for a few bottles to grace your kitchen counter or bulk quantities for wholesale needs, these flavors will add a new dimension to your culinary repertoire.
This vinegar starts with the slow fermentation of the juice of the ripest Sicilian lemons together with clear white balsamic vinegar refined in oak barrels. Once it is filtered, it is left to stand over winter in glass demijohns so as not to affect the color and flavor of the lemons. Sounds a lot like bottling preserved lemons, doesn’t it? The lemon vinegar has the fresh, sharp, pungent, persistent aroma typical of citrus fruits. We found it was a perfect complement to Moroccan-inspired dishes or to add to a sauce for a week-day roasted chicken with extra virgin olive oil.
This South American pure cocoa condiment aged in cherry wood barrels (LINK to Antoinette’s balsamic article about aging). adds a silky chocolate flavor that is exquisite on game meats, fresh soft cheeses, fruit fondues, desserts, pastries, yogurt, ice-cream, and waffles. All those old family favorite recipes for chocolate cake that call for vinegar are made much more flavorful when you replace the vinegar with this cocoa-ladened version. Then try replacing the butter with extra virgin olive oil, and you’ll really create a healthy dessert.
Thank goodness it’s almost strawberry season. The Italians have a classic, healthy approach to dessert when they dip fresh strawberries in balsamic vinegar and then roll it around in a bit of sugar. There are two ways to take this to the next level: start with our artisanal Vanilla Balsamic vinegar and infuse the sugar with vanilla bean. Who needs ice cream?