There are two other most common types of vinegar, and from thereon it’s all specialty vinegar. We call them specialty because these are vinegar made from fine ingredients and are some of the most flavorful. You might even say they are the gourmet of specialty vinegar. Let’s sort out apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar.
In our previous post we talked about the three most popular vinegar:
- White distilled vinegar produced from alcohol;
- Red wine vinegar produced from red wine;
- And white wine vinegar produced from white wine.
Apple Cider Vinegar is considered one of the most versatile, if not the most versatile. It is also one of the most recommended medicinal vinegar, nutritionists encouraging people to consume the vinegar for good health.
Apple cider vinegar is known to relieve inflammation in the body, help with weight loss, support proper digestion and detoxification, boost the immune system and relieve heartburn among providing other health benefits.
The vinegar is made from apples and has a 5 percent concentration of acetic acid. The best apple cider vinegar contains vinegar mother – the substance at the bottom of the bottle, known to provide additional benefits.
Balsamic vinegar is made from pressed grapes, traditionally in Reggio Emilia and Modena, northern Italy. It is considered an artisan product and the finest can cost as much as $200 per bottle. It is a favorite type of vinegar among world-renowned chefs, and it is often used to make gourmet sauces.
The price for balsamic vinegar varies depending on age – this vinegar is aged like wine. Traditional balsamic vinegar, which is still only produced in northern Italy, is left to mature at least 12 years, the final product resulting in glossy, syrupy-sweet vinegar that blends very well with fruits and is often served with strawberries and other types of berries.
Traditional balsamic vinegar is mostly served as is with fruits, creamy desserts, ice cream or cheese and never used in cooking because the heat destroys the aroma. It is, however, added over grilled meat or fish and to foods such as risotto at the end of cooking.
- Cheaper balsamic vinegar is vinegar made in other parts of Italy and differs from traditional balsamic vinegar in that they are aged for shorter periods of time, for three up to seven years.
- Supermarket balsamic vinegar is derivative vinegar produced similarly to traditional balsamic but aged without fermentation and for much shorter periods of time, sometimes as short as two months. These is vinegar that often contains additional ingredients such as thickening agents and caramel to make it resemble traditional balsamic vinegar.
- The cheapest of balsamic vinegar and not at all balsamic vinegar are pure imitation products that contain sweeteners and coloring agents and are made from white wine, red wine or apple cider vinegar.
The way to differentiate between balsamic vinegar is the label.
- Traditional balsamic vinegar is labeled Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale and is accompanied by the “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” stamp which certifies to the authenticity of the product.
- Supermarket balsamic vinegar can contain wine vinegar, but the ingredients should always list grape for top quality products. The best supermarket balsamic vinegar will not contain thickening agents or coloring as this is usually added to mask a higher percentage of wine vinegar.
- Imitation balsamic vinegar are almost always made from white wine, red wine or cider vinegar and contain a number of additives. They can be produced in other countries such as Greece, Spain or even the U.S.