Strawberries with a Twist
With strawberry season upon us, here’s a tip for some of the most delicious strawberries you’ll ever eat. The classic dressing for strawberries has historically been a little sugar and a squirt of fresh lemon. While even the sweetest freshest strawberries benifit from a light sprinkling of these two ingredients, one dressing you may not have thought of is balsamic vinegar.
In Europe, a good quality balsamic is often used in desserts. Something amazing happens when you combine these two ingredients. The one trick is finding a superior balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is an abundant staple in every supermarket these days, so knowing the difference between a real balsamic and a balsamic flavored vinegar can be a daunting task. Start by looking for a vinegar that is aged at least ten years and labeled Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (traditional balsamic vinegar) from Modena, Italy.
Check the ingredient list, a fine quality balsamic requires no addition of extracts, sugars, or artifical anything. Simply grape must. This usually comes at a bit of a premium, price-wise, but this quality vinegar is the one I use and reserve for desserts such as fruit or ice cream. Because it is intended to be used sparingly, a small bottle will go a long way. Once you savor a true dark rich Balsamic, unfettered by a host of other flavors you will understand what all the fuss is about and you’ll never be without it in your pantry.
About the author
Written by Toni Fiore
Toni Fiore was raised by an Italian-American father and a German mother who instilled in her a sociable nature and the love of travel and of good food. She has lived in Italy and Germany and now resides in southern Maine. She is the author of: Totally Vegetarian: Easy, Fast, Comforting Cooking for Every Kind of Vegetarian
Bob
January 25, 2006
Hello. I totally agree with you about the Balsamic Vinegar used on strawberries. I just recently bought a bottle from World Harvest Foods, a small website from Columbia, Missouri that brings in some of the best foods from around the world. I bought the 25-Year old Tradizionale Balsamic Vinegar and it was extremely good on the fresh strawberries I got from the market and vanilla ice cream. I also got some of their a href=”http://www.worldsfoods.com/view.asp?prod_ID=2884″>Sidr Honey of
Hadramaut and oh my was it good! I highly recommend you to go to their website to see what they have!
teresa de Bellis Francis
January 30, 2011
Hi Toni: I watched your program from Sonoma Co. Sat. 1-29-2011 and saw you prepare baby spinach, strawberry, nut and red onion salad. Where can I get this recipe? I am new to you and love what you do/say/prepare. Thanks, Terry Francis