Black Gold: Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Emilia Romagna, the food region of Italy, is famous for the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP from Parma, Mortadella from Bologna, and Prosciutto di Parma, just to start. Last week, I met some friends in Modena to taste some balsamic vinegar and have lunch.
We went to Il Borgo del Balsamico to have lunch in their garden and see how the balsamic vinegar is made. Just halfway between Modena and Reggio Emilia in Albinea, you will find Il Borgo del Balsamico, an ancient residence surrounded by lush Italian gardens. It is owned by two sisters, Cristina and Silvia, and in addition to an acetaia (the place where balsamic vinegar is made), they have a guest house with rooms for travelers to stay for a unique experience in the countryside, where they can relax in the garden, by the pool, and, of course, taste vinegar on a variety of dishes. No, Vannah was not in attendance. Just me, with some friends from back home at The Southern Coterie who were in the midst of a retreat in the Italian countryside and invited me to meet them. A 60-minute train ride later from Bologna, and the afternoon was spent sipping wine, tasting balsamic vinegar in various traditional Italian varieties, and witnessing firsthand the meticulous process behind this product that is renowned around the world. I will never get over the food in Emilia Romagna. My disgust for that man in Miami who so swiftly denied our visas grows stronger by the day. “Come back when you are older and actually retired,” he said. Life is fleeting, you bastard. I want the cheese and balsamic now—that's what I should have said.
The aging process, similar to wine, is done in wooden barrels, albeit much smaller. The barrels are not sealed shut; instead, they are covered with a cloth or a screen. This allows air to flow in and out, facilitating the slow evaporation and oxidation processes that are essential for aging. The barrels decrease in size over time, and the vinegar is transferred from larger barrels to smaller ones as it ages. This process, called "travasi," allows for mixing and further refinement.
Regulations and Certifications
In Italy, food is regulated and certified (DOP or DOC - you will see the seal on the label) to guarantee the highest quality and that all steps have been followed in the production and aging process, ensuring they originate from specific regions (wine, cheese, balsamic vinegar, oil, mortadella from Bologna, prosciutto from Parma, and even fruits and vegetables from various regions in Italy). For example, a wine cannot be DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) certified from Puglia if half the grapes were imported from Napa Valley and then made into wine in Puglia. That would never happen in Italy, but you get what I mean. It’s a common practice in other regions of the world.
For balsamic vinegar, when a barrel is aging, it is locked closed by regulators, and then after three years, it is unlocked and given the seal. Further certifications are given when the balsamic vinegar reaches 10, 20+ years of age. As time increases, the viscosity and flavor profile change dramatically. The youngest balsamic vinegar is often used for salads, while the oldest is used as a finish on Parmigiano, ice cream, things like that, and very sparingly as it is very rich and expensive. Also, true balsamic vinegar should have one ingredient: grapes. Read the label, and if there’s anything else, don’t buy it (with the exception of wine vinegar, which is sometimes added, but again, it’s just another form of grapes). Also, I learned that white balsamic isn’t really balsamic vinegar at all. Not a true balsamic that is, made in the traditional manner, with two quality ingredients, originating in Italy. And, of course, that’s the only way we take it now.
