Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

Cooking.com is selling the same brand for $129.99 (out of stock),
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=426838

Has anyone ever paid for (and enjoyed) this precious balsamic? If so,
did you safeguard it until it evaporated or you were worried that it
had?

Thanks,
Dee Dee

"Dee Dee" wrote in message
ups.com...
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

Cooking.com is selling the same brand for $129.99 (out of stock),
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=426838

Has anyone ever paid for (and enjoyed) this precious balsamic? If so,
did you safeguard it until it evaporated or you were worried that it
had?

Thanks,
Dee Dee


Not a bad price for 25 year. I could not find it much cheaper in Modena, but
I'm sure the locals can. It will keep over a year once opened and it is
used very sparingly. Keep it in a cabinet out of the light. You have to
splurge once in a while. Believe me, it is nothing at all like the $5 junk
in the supermarkets. That stuff should be outlawed.

On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:16:05 -0700, Dee Dee
wrote:

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

Cooking.com is selling the same brand for $129.99 (out of stock),
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=426838

Has anyone ever paid for (and enjoyed) this precious balsamic? If so,
did you safeguard it until it evaporated or you were worried that it
had?

I've never even come close to buying any vinegar costing $10 for an
ordinary sized bottle. If I bought it, I'd probably think nothing I
made justified wasting it on my food. I think that the $100+ stuff is
what fancy (expensive) restaurants may use in moderation to justify
high prices.

--
See return address to reply by email

sf wrote:
On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:16:05 -0700, Dee Dee
wrote:

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

Cooking.com is selling the same brand for $129.99 (out of stock),
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=426838

Has anyone ever paid for (and enjoyed) this precious balsamic? If so,
did you safeguard it until it evaporated or you were worried that it
had?

I've never even come close to buying any vinegar costing $10 for an
ordinary sized bottle. If I bought it, I'd probably think nothing I
made justified wasting it on my food. I think that the $100+ stuff is
what fancy (expensive) restaurants may use in moderation to justify
high prices.

It's a treasured thing in any group. A single drop on something is how
to use it. It is not for salad dressing or stew, but completely alters
a single fine thing when used on it.

There are lots of imitations and none of them "make" it. They're just
sweetened vinegar with fake stuff often added to ape the original.

I have a small bottle of a 12 year old aged vinegar, not at all this
level, but I use it similarly. For example I make a peach mostarda to
eat with pecorino cheeses, and it is served with a few drops of aged
vinegar-- not cooked in because it would make it ugly.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

Not a bad price for 25 year. I could not find it much cheaper in
Modena, but I'm sure the locals can.

In Modena it should cost between 60 and 90 euros, based on the producer. SO
yes, 99 US$ is indeed a very good price, over the pond.

It will keep over a year once opened and it is used very sparingly.

Expecially when you use drops on a parmigiano flakes.

Believe me, it is nothing at all like the $5 junk in the supermarkets.
That stuff should be outlawed.

I fully agree.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

Vilco wrote:
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

Not a bad price for 25 year. I could not find it much cheaper in
Modena, but I'm sure the locals can.

In Modena it should cost between 60 and 90 euros, based on the producer. SO
yes, 99 US$ is indeed a very good price, over the pond.

It will keep over a year once opened and it is used very sparingly.

Expecially when you use drops on a parmigiano flakes.

Believe me, it is nothing at all like the $5 junk in the supermarkets.
That stuff should be outlawed.

I fully agree.

I think part of the problem is people calling it vinegar, which it
really is not. They end up thinking it should cost $.69 a pint and be
used to make the non-existent Italian salad dressing.

It is no more vinegar than caviar is frog spawn. I don't like caviar,
but at least I know what it is. Maybe some high end purveyors ought to
do inexpensive tastings using berries or Parmigiano?

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Giusi wrote:

I think part of the problem is people calling it vinegar, which it
really is not. They end up thinking it should cost $.69 a pint and be
used to make the non-existent Italian salad dressing.

And the problem comes from Modena: as you know, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale
(ABT) is made in both Modena and Reggio Emilia. In Both towns you have the
real thing (ABT) and the cheap stupidmarket thing. In Reggio Emilia the
cheap concoction is called "Condimento Balsamico" (balsamic dressing) and
this is right, since the name "Aceto Balsamico" is used only for the real
product.
In Modena, instead, the cheap crap is called "Aceto Balsamico" thus leading
the consumers into confusion, and the difference remains only in the word
"Tradizionale". Non tradizionale is worth and costs as normal wine vinegar,
while tradizionale is worth and costs 30, 60 or 90 euro based on the age
range and quality.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

sf wrote in message
I've never even come close to buying any vinegar costing $10 for an
ordinary sized bottle. If I bought it, I'd probably think nothing I
made justified wasting it on my food. I think that the $100+ stuff is
what fancy (expensive) restaurants may use in moderation to justify
high prices.

The cheap $5 balsamic is nothing more than colored white vinegar, IMO, the
$20 stuff is a blend that is OK, but the $100 is nothing at all like you can
imagine. Marketers have grabbed onto the Balsamic name and anything that is
even in the same room with true Balsamic is being touted as some magic
elixir. There are differences too great to imagine.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

The cheap $5 balsamic is nothing more than colored white vinegar,
IMO,

True. It's just simple wine vinegar mixed with some caramel and some boiled
must to give it smoothness and thickness.

Marketers have grabbed onto the Balsamic name and anything that is even in
the same room with true Balsamic is being touted as some magic elixir.
There are differences too great to imagine.

Yes, the good ol' time, slowly passing while vinegar rests in its barrels,
moving from barrel to barrel each year with the solera technique. A friend
of mine has started his own battery of barrels five years ago: first two
years the boiled must has been in the starting barrel, then every year he
moves it forward to the next barrel, so now he's got his vinegar up to the
the third barrel, and barrels number 4, 5 and 6 are still empty. For now he
likes to pick up some vials to try the product once in a while, and it's
already doing well but evidently missing the advanced acetic fermentation
nuances.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

Dee Dee wrote:
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

Cooking.com is selling the same brand for $129.99 (out of stock),
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=426838

Has anyone ever paid for (and enjoyed) this precious balsamic? If so,
did you safeguard it until it evaporated or you were worried that it
had?

Thanks,
Dee Dee

I don't think I'll be spending $100 for a bottle of this, but I do
wonder how different it would be.

We've learned that there are quite a bit of differences in the balsamics
and the prices are all over the place. The most fun has been to go to
some of the more upscale markets or specialty foods stores and be able
to sample the different brands.

Like wine, sometimes the ones that we prefer were not necessarily the
most expensive, but they definitely were not the $5/bottles either.

--
Queenie

*** Be the change you wish to see in the world ***

In article . com,
says...
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

Cooking.com is selling the same brand for $129.99 (out of stock),
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=426838

Has anyone ever paid for (and enjoyed) this precious balsamic? If so,
did you safeguard it until it evaporated or you were worried that it
had?

Thanks,
Dee Dee



That's a decent but not great price. For a better selection and similar
prices check this out (they have a 25 year old for $95):

http://www.rarewineco.com/downloads/.../Balsamico.pdf

I have bought many times from them and always been happy.

Balsamic of that quality is a real treat, to be enjoyed sparingly. I
have had open bottles last at least a year. Spoilage is never a problem
and what little evaporation occurs will just concentrate the flavors
more.

One of our favorite uses is to dribble a little on a good steak.

--
Peter Aitken

In article ,
says...
Believe me, it is nothing at all like the $5 junk
in the supermarkets. That stuff should be outlawed.



I think you are being too harsh. Of course the "supermarket" balsamics
are nothing like the traditional aged vinegars, but if you buy the right
brand they can be very tasty. I think that the Whole Foods 365 brand is
a good one, also CostCo's. I use them in places where the sweetness and
flavor of balsamic is desired but the subtleties and richness of the
real thing would be lost.

--
Peter Aitken

Dee Dee wrote:
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

http://tinyurl.com/yskdrh
Costco is selling this 25 year old balsamic for $99.99+s&h.

If I had assurance that this was good price, I'd be willing to buy it.
I'm willing to put out a few bucks for an uncommon treat.

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:22:55 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:

sf wrote in message
I've never even come close to buying any vinegar costing $10 for an
ordinary sized bottle. If I bought it, I'd probably think nothing I
made justified wasting it on my food. I think that the $100+ stuff is
what fancy (expensive) restaurants may use in moderation to justify
high prices.

The cheap $5 balsamic is nothing more than colored white vinegar, IMO, the
$20 stuff is a blend that is OK, but the $100 is nothing at all like you can
imagine. Marketers have grabbed onto the Balsamic name and anything that is
even in the same room with true Balsamic is being touted as some magic
elixir. There are differences too great to imagine.

I think I buy a Modena "reject". It has made in Modena in tiny
letters on the side label, but probably didn't make the grade. It's
good enough for me. http://tinyurl.com/33mkz8

--
See return address to reply by email

On Jun 29, 6:44 am, "Vilco" wrote:


Marketers have grabbed onto the Balsamic name and anything that is even in
the same room with true Balsamic is being touted as some magic elixir.
There are differences too great to imagine.

Yes, the good ol' time, slowly passing while vinegar rests in its barrels,
moving from barrel to barrel each year with the solera technique. A friend
of mine has started his own battery of barrels five years ago: first two
years the boiled must has been in the starting barrel, then every year he
moves it forward to the next barrel, so now he's got his vinegar up to the
the third barrel, and barrels number 4, 5 and 6 are still empty. For now he
likes to pick up some vials to try the product once in a while, and it's
already doing well but evidently missing the advanced acetic fermentation
nuances.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

I've been using a Kirkland/Costco product that 'must' be the cheap
kind - I recall it is $8.99, whereas their really-cheap kind is $3.99,
I believe.

This $8.99 says "Kirkland Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Private Reserve
Aged Up to 15 years 33.8 oz (1 liter)." It says on the back of the
bottle "Produced in the rustic Italian regin of Modena, where Balsamic
Vinegar originated, our vinegar is created using a centuried-old
recipe and is aged in wooden casts for up to 15 years. Use it to
enhance your favorite dressing, augment your cooked vegetables and
meats, or enrich your fruit and berry desserts."

Even though I've used 7/8 of the bottle, I must admit I've not got
used to the taste yet, but it is intriguingenough to wonder about the
real stuff. So if it is not similar, then I' would be in for a
completely different taste experience?

Thanks,
Dee Dee