Traditional or ‘Tradizionale’ Balsamic Vinegar;
Made from cooked grape must, usually made from Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes. The resulting thick syrup is aged for a minimum of 12 years in wooden barrels made from different woods (chestnut, cherry, oak, mulberry, ash and juniper).
This connoisseurs’ product, also available from Due Vittorie at Ocado and costs £49.99 for a 100ml bottle.
Due Vittorie Oro;
‘Balsamic Vinegar of Modena’ is £9.99 for a 250ml bottle has a remarkable sweetness and thickness making is a unique condiment. It also fully meets the criteria for IGP* certification as “Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP” and has a minimum acidity of 6%.
The Taste Test;
I poured just 1 teaspoon of three different balsamic vinegars of different prices into small dishes.
I won't name the other brand but it's the dish to the far left and costs £2.50 for 250ml.
As you can see it looks watered down. Look how 1tsp covered the dish compared to the Due Vittorie Oro at £9.99
But when you look at the one on the far right (Due Vittoire Traditional) it was beautifully thick in constancy.
The unnamed brand (my usual brand) actually tasted very vinegary in comparison whilst the Oro (middle) tasted so much better. I will definitely buy this rather than my previous brand.
As for the Traditional; well I have to say this is the bees knees of Balsamic vinegars.
Far richer and thicker and sweet tasting - yes this is amazing. At £49.99 though, it would have to be used for a special occasion!
A few ideas on how to use Balsamic Vinegar;
- Drizzled over strawberries
- Delicious on roasted tomatoes
- Drizzled over grilled fish
- Drizzled on grilled steak
- As an healthier alternative to soy sauce - especially good with with sushi
- Drizzled over chips - says my friend Helen Hannah (must say I haven't tried it) but I bet it's good so thanks for that Helen!
- Goes well with goats cheese
- Asparagus wrapped in Parma ham
- To finish and sweeten sauces such as ragu or chilli con carne
- In homemade ice creams such as strawberry & balsamic
- To make salad dressings
- Or mixed with olive oil (as shown below) for dipping bread; mix 2 parts oil to 1 part balsamic
So my conclusion is you do get what you pay for!
I have to say really didn't want to open the Due Vittorie Tradizionale since at £49.99 I will only going to use it on very special occasions - yes I'm keeping mine in the cupboard thank you very much and I'll just look at the bottle - I don't want to part with it!
The Due Vittorie Oro is an excellent and much more affordable alternative for everyday use.
To find out more pop over to Due Vittorie.
Twitter @DueVittorie
Now for the Giveaway - 1 bottle of Due Vittorie Oro Balsamic vinegar worth £9.99
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I love balsamic vinegar on strawberries.
ReplyDeleteSalads, pasta
ReplyDeleteI use it on warm chicken salads or tuna/salmon salad!
ReplyDeletesalads
ReplyDeleteon italian ham salad
ReplyDeleteI drizzle it over jacket potatoes instead of using butter - it's yum! :)
ReplyDeletea lovely chicken salad xx
ReplyDeleteA nice salad!
ReplyDeleteAshleigh
A lovely salad!
ReplyDeleteAshleigh
lovely salads x
ReplyDeleteI griddle home grown onion, sliced courgettes and tomatoes and then drizzle a little balsamic after cooking
ReplyDeleteI always use it on salads.
ReplyDeleteBacon and halloumi salad with a balsamic dressing
ReplyDeleteStrawberry and Balsamic Eton Mess yum! Perfect for summer!
ReplyDeleteI mix it with olive oil and dunk bread in it or use as a salad dressing.
ReplyDeleteI've used balsamic vinegar for years when making home made strawberry ice cream
ReplyDeleteMine goes with bread and olives
ReplyDeleteI use mine for home baked bruschetta with a mild tomato salsa on top!
ReplyDeleteOn salad leaves to make them a bit more exciting!
ReplyDeleteDrizzled over a leafy salad, preferably with lots of rocket in it
ReplyDeletespinach salad with scallops and chorizo
ReplyDeleteIt's great for caramelising onions
ReplyDeletegreek salad
ReplyDeletedribbling over poached pear
ReplyDeletebread and oil!
ReplyDeletedip in garlic beard
ReplyDeleteI use Balsamic in my pasta dishes to give a little zing :)
ReplyDeleteI love dipping bruschetta in balsamic vinegar
ReplyDeleteI mix it with oil and oregano and brush it over haloumi and peppers and bbq it
ReplyDeleteI like to make it into a glaze to drizzle over bruschetta :) xx
ReplyDeletesalads
ReplyDeleteI like it drizzled over smoked salmon(but not too much or you lose the salmon taste)
ReplyDeleteI make a reduced balsamic and raspberry salad dressing (which also makes a lovely sticky, sweet marinade). Throw some balsamic and squished raspberries in a pan (add a pinch of sugar), leave it on the hob to reduce and pass through a sieve - so not too technical!
ReplyDeleteTo make a balsamic butter sauce for haddock.
ReplyDeleteMainly on salads but I love it drizzled on bruschetta
ReplyDeleteIt's great with strawberries in a strawberry compote
ReplyDeleteSalad Dressing Or Bread Dipping :)
ReplyDeleteI love it on strawberries myself
ReplyDeleteI like putting it on bread
ReplyDeleteSalad
ReplyDeleteI love mine mixed in my tuna
ReplyDeleteAs a dip for garlic bread
ReplyDeleteI used it on its own on salads to cut down on the calories with no loss of taste.
ReplyDeletegreat for salads
ReplyDeleteIts lovely over a tuna salad!
ReplyDeleteLove it over a nice tuna salad
ReplyDeleteOn strawberries
ReplyDeleteI Use it on Olives and Feta.
ReplyDeleteLove it as a dressing for my feta salad
ReplyDeleteWith salad and bread :)
ReplyDeleteI use it with olive oil to make a dressing for a cold pasta salad
ReplyDeleteSalad dressings
ReplyDeletedressing for pasta :)
ReplyDeleteSalad dressing, dip with oil, and marinades, especially for grilled/barbecued dishes. Anything really!
ReplyDeleteSalad dressing, dip with oil, and marinades, especially for grilled/barbecued dishes. Anything really!
ReplyDeleteI love dipping bruschetta in balsamic vinegar
ReplyDeleteSalad dressings and for dunking warm bread in yummy!
ReplyDeleteI put it in a homemade BBQ sauce.
ReplyDeleteI put it on quorn roast
ReplyDeletelove dipping bread into olive oil and balsamic
ReplyDeletein my salad vinegarette
ReplyDeleteI add a splash of balsamic to a tomato and fennel pasta sauce. It adds a zing to the sauce.
ReplyDeletelove it drizzled over a warm chicken breast, then added to a crisp green salad :)
ReplyDeleteI use it as a salad dressing
ReplyDeleteI use it in salad dressing
ReplyDeleteI use it in salad dressing
ReplyDeleteIts gorgeous drizzled on strawberries
ReplyDeleteAny salads, to make a salad dressing :)
ReplyDeleteBalsamic Vinegar as a salmon glaze yummy with a touch of ginger x
ReplyDeleteSalad. Or mixing with oil and dipping bread into.
ReplyDeleteon my salads
ReplyDeletei use it on tomato bruschetta yum
ReplyDeleteI sometimes add a bit of Balsamico to meat marinades; it gives it just a bit of special flavour. And of course the classic, drizzled over tricolore salad (tomato, mozzarella, avocado). And can I just ask you where you got that cute heart-shaped dish from, which is shown with the Balsamico/oil mix? It's adorable!
ReplyDeleteSo many good ideas here! I'm sure I can't add anything. I love dipping fresh bread into a balsamic/oil mix and putting it over pasta adds a little "something".
ReplyDeleteI mix it with gravy with bangers and mash!
ReplyDeletePerfect with chicken and pomegranate seeds
ReplyDeletePerfect with chicken and pomegranate
ReplyDeletePerfect with chicken
ReplyDeleteAs a reduction on chicken with olives and sundried tomatos
ReplyDeleteJust as a dressing
ReplyDeleteJust on fresh bread
ReplyDeleteTo make a Panzanella salad
ReplyDeleteSheila Reeves @CakeReev
mainly for salads
ReplyDeletemostly on warm chicken salads and sometimes in homemade marinades
ReplyDeleteDrizzled on salad. Or on top of bruschetta yum!
ReplyDeleteI use it as salad dressing on anything I create x
ReplyDeleteI use it for dressing salads, but if I had a really good bottle I would be tempted to try using it in more adventurous ways
ReplyDeleteI it for salad and sometimes for sweet and sour chicken! mm :)
ReplyDeleteOn salads xx
ReplyDeleteWith bread and olive oil
ReplyDeleteIn a stir fry
ReplyDeleteKelly Ellen Hirst
I put it on salads
ReplyDeleteI put it on salads
ReplyDelete