Balsamic vinegar is one of those culinary items that can take a simple recipe to a memorable one. Its complex flavors lends itself well to both sweet and savory dishes, or even just soaked into some bread. Originally created in Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy just north of
Tuscany, in the middle ages and has been enjoyed by Italians ever since. It has only become popular in America in the past twenty years and its a sad state of affairs that it has taken that long.
Balsamic vinegar is considered a wine vinegar, like its less popular cousin red wine vinegar, but is not actually made from wine. It is made by the pressings of grape skins that have not been allowed to ferment, unlike
grappa.
The grape skins are pressed, heated and boiled down into a thick dark syrup with very specific regulations controlled by the its DOC status. If you are looking for a quality balsamic vinegar, you need to ensure that it has this DOC label on it. Without it, it is not proper balsamic vinegar but just an imitation.