Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia PDO 12 Years Old "Lobster Seal" + Glass tic

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The first evidence dates back to the year 1046, when Henry III, Emperor of Germany, arrived in Piacenza and asked Boniface, lord of the fortress of Canossa, for that special vinegar that 'he had heard was made there most perfect'. Casks mostly made of oak, chestnut, mulberry, cherry, ash, and wormwood are used, each one contributing a particular aroma to the vinegar.

In the following centuries, in the main centres of the Este family, real consortiums were established to guard the secret of the product's preparation. The production of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia is regulated by protected designation of origin (PDO) guidelines and it is obtained simply by fermenting the sugar and acid of the cooked must. It's essentially a way to give cheap balsamic the consistency of expensive balsamic so that it can be used in the same way - as a drizzle or finishing sauce. Lambrusco, Montuni, Sangiovese, and Trebbiano), though the grapes can be from anywhere and only need to be processed in Modena.The darkest varieties are the ones to experiment with on ice cream or berries, though they won't offer the same rapturous pleasure as the real thing. The monk Donizone, who lived at the same time of Countess Matilde, remembered a "laudatum acetum" in the XII century that was given as a gift by Canossa to the Emperor inside a silver bottle. Balsamic vinegar is a delicious and versatile condiment that can be used in a variety of dishes and should be in everyone’s kitchen, whether a chef or a salad lover. The Consortium decided that Traditional Balsamic Vinegar from Reggio Emilia should only be sold in a special bottle: another way to prevent confusion among consumers and the possibility of fraud and imitations by unauthorized vinegar producers. Use: Traditional balsamic is not a cooking ingredient — heating it will kill its distinctive bouquet — and it would be wasted as an ingredient in a salad dressing.

Differently, from Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is a blend of grape must and wine vinegar. This aging process is similar to the solera process used for fine sherries, ports, sweet wines, and Spanish brandies. It is marketed in the characteristic tulip-shaped bottle only after obtaining suitability assessment after tasting by the Producers’ Consortium. The regulations prescribe that no other substance or aroma must be added other than cooked grape must, which must be aged for at least 12 years in barrels with well-defined aromas: chestnut, oak, mulberry and a few other local woods. The Reggio Emilia Consortia differentiate the different ages of their balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia) by the color of their label.A study on relationships among chemical, physical, and qualitative assessment in traditional balsamic vinegar. The aceto is then aged in a series of wooden barrels made from different types of wood, including chestnut, oak, cherry, and mulberry. The thickness is given by the sugar content, aging leads to water evaporation and therefore increase of sugar levels and thickness.

The first generally accepted document referring to a precious vinegar produced in the area of Modena and Reggio Emilia is the poem written in the 12th century by the monk Donizo of Canossa, [5] although the word "balsamic" is never mentioned. The fermentation of sugar into alcohol is carried out by yeasts belonging to a plethora of species and genera, and occurs in anaerobic conditions. Nowadays, enthusiasts are used to preparing casks at the birth of their children or grandchildren, identifying them with their names. The making procedure of TBV is a semicontinuous process requiring the annual refilling activity, consisting of withdrawing only a part of the vinegar from the smallest cask and topping it with the vinegar coming from the next cask along with the barrel set, and so on. Freshly reduced cooked must is added to the largest cask, and in every subsequent year, the drawing and topping up process is repeated.An important class of minor compounds, recently investigated, is that known as melanoidins, an heterogeneous mixture of polymers arising from sugar degradation reactions activated during cooking of the grape must. It is suited to complement premium cheeses, fruit salads comprised of berries, strawberries or cherries, for pastry creams, ice creams, and cakes.