Where to find REAL Balsamic Vinegar for cheap? Cheapest I can find is $99 for 100ml.

[tigersty1e]

Can you really tell the difference? It's like champagne and sparkling wine. Both are the same.

 

[zinfamous]

Was it vinegar or olive oil that was rife with fakes?

olive oil. the vast majority that comes out of Italy and Greece these days is mostly linseed or grape seed oil.

sad.

 

[WelshBloke]

Can you really tell the difference? It's like champagne and sparkling wine. Both are the same.

Eh?

No they're not. All Champagne is sparkling wine but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.

 

[Murloc]

I like it and it's cheap.

It's not the traditional superpricey 12 years old balsamic vinegar though. Purists gonna hate.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

This is the only thing I use

Aint about to spend $700 on my salad.

 

[Blackjack200]

I didn't get it either until I tried some decent real balsamic vinegar. The taste is out of this world good. It's incredible and very complex flavor. It's nectar of the gods good.

I had an hour to kill in Sedona about six months ago, so I was wondering around and stumbled on a balsamic vinegar shop. I thought 'heh, I'll try some samples and then have a funny story about stupid snobby Sedonens and their expensive vinegar.'

Yeah, about 5 minutes later I wanted to buy every bottle in the store.

 

[DCal430]

You're misinformed. The bottle that he posted is the real thing. It has the IGP on the label.

Also, you're confusing real balsamic vinegar with real balsamic vinegar that has been aged for an extended period of time.

Let me guess - another troll thread!

No I am not misinformed. The IGP label only means it contains a small portion of Balsamic Vinegar. Please Google what Aceto Balsamico di Modena actually is. What is required for it to be called that.

From wikipedia:

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aceto Balsamico di Modena), an inexpensive modern imitation of the traditional product, is today widely available and much better known. This is the kind commonly used for salad dressing together with oil.

 

[sjwaste]

No I am not misinformed. The IGP label only means it contains a small portion of Balsamic Vinegar. Please Google what Aceto Balsamico di Modena actually is. What is required for it to be called that.

From wikipedia:

IGP indicates that it has to be made from certain grapes and from a certain regional origin, that it must age for at least two months, and in certain types of wooden barrels. If you want to consider that a "small portion of Balsamic Vinegar" so be it, but it sounds like you're defining balsamic vinegar only as the stuff that's aged for 12+ years. Under Italian/EC trade regs, it's not any less "real."

 

[DCal430]

IGP indicates that it has to be made from certain grapes and from a certain regional origin, that it must age for at least two months, and in certain types of wooden barrels. If you want to consider that a "small portion of Balsamic Vinegar" so be it, but it sounds like you're defining balsamic vinegar only as the stuff that's aged for 12+ years. Under Italian/EC trade regs, it's not any less "real."

The IGP label allows for it to be made with a mixture of balsamic grape must and wine vinegar. Traditional Balsamic is made only from balsamic grape must.

 

[zinfamous]

No I am not misinformed. The IGP label only means it contains a small portion of Balsamic Vinegar. Please Google what Aceto Balsamico di Modena actually is. What is required for it to be called that.

From wikipedia:

you mean the $5 bottle that I got at Trader Joe's isn't real??

 

[tigersty1e]

Eh?

No they're not. All Champagne is sparkling wine but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.

In context with what I wrote before that.

They are the same in that if I hide the labels, you won't know the difference. The say way with balsanic vinegar.

 

[Leros]

you mean the $5 bottle that I got at Trader Joe's isn't real??

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

You aren't actually "cooking" it. It's a simple reduction that happens over low heat that essentially evaporates the some of the water and concentrates the flavors. A balsamic reduction is pretty standard in cooking and any chef worth their salt has created more than their fair share in their life, so you better have lots of ammo for that gun.

I have lots of ammo because I know how the respective products are used. The OP wanted to know where he could get the traditional product for less. I understand just what he's looking to do and taking the balsamic vinegar substitute and reducing it is fine. I linked to two products, either of which are good, but better for different purposes.

No matter what you do you will never make a 9 buck a bottle product into the more expensive one. I use the less expensive often and I don't have to reduce it to use it. Now if the dish calls for a reduction then a reduction you make.

If you really think there's no difference make sure you let Cooks Illustrated know they're wrong. Bring lots and lots of ammo.

 

[alkemyst]

first ATOT had to go queer up beer, then pizza, then hamburgers, now salad dressing.

it's mother fucking salad dressing or a marinade for some. If you do need the "REAL" stuff, drop the coin and be done with it.

This is like asking why can't Dom or Cristal be priced like M&R Asti (the latter I personally like the best).

 

[sjwaste]

I have lots of ammo because I know how the respective products are used. The OP wanted to know where he could get the traditional product for less. I understand just what he's looking to do and taking the balsamic vinegar substitute and reducing it is fine. I linked to two products, either of which are good, but better for different purposes.

Except that the OP is primarily a troll here.

 

[Bignate603]

If the OP wants the stuff that he classifies as "real" balsamic vinegar, I think he better just cough up the money that the expensive ones are charging. So far he's turned up his nose at every other cheaper option.

 

[sjwaste]

If the OP wants the stuff that he classifies as "real" balsamic vinegar, I think he better just cough up the money that the expensive ones are charging. So far he's turned up his nose at every other cheaper option.

Because he is a troll and this is a troll thread.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Except that the OP is primarily a troll here.

Well yeah, but this is food not politics.

 

[sjwaste]

Well yeah, but this is food not politics.

Food and good company shouldn't be separated from one another, if at all possible.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Food and good company shouldn't be separated from one another, if at all possible.

I agree and never fear. I have no intentions of inviting him to dinner.

 

[sjwaste]

I agree and never fear. I have no intentions of inviting him to dinner.

He might bring the fake balsamic.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

He might bring the fake balsamic.

This is true. I'd have to counter with trans fat margarine. Eat my Parkay!

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I have lots of ammo because I know how the respective products are used. The OP wanted to know where he could get the traditional product for less. I understand just what he's looking to do and taking the balsamic vinegar substitute and reducing it is fine. I linked to two products, either of which are good, but better for different purposes.

No matter what you do you will never make a 9 buck a bottle product into the more expensive one. I use the less expensive often and I don't have to reduce it to use it. Now if the dish calls for a reduction then a reduction you make.

If you really think there's no difference make sure you let Cooks Illustrated know they're wrong. Bring lots and lots of ammo.

I never said that you'll make a 9 buck bottle into a more expensive one. What I said is that I defy people to tell the difference between a good reduction and a decent aged balsamic, unless you're talking about something aged 50+ years.

Is there a difference between the two? Oh yeah, there is. It's about $150.00+, at a minimum.

I'm not trying to tell Cooks Illustrated, Saveur, or anyone else they are wrong. I'm offering a way to create a far, far cheaper substitute. If there are those who feel they absolutely must spend quite a bit more to obtain the flavor they are looking for, more power to them.

 

[alkemyst]

It's like wines...you get into the $10 bottles (assuming this is a standard 750ml, not a 1.5L+ WalMart one)...and people start noticing things, push that to $30-50 and they may be like wow!....go $200+ and you are not getting much more response from the mid-tier. You may run into one critic that has some shit to say...mostly it will fall on deaf ears.

Sadly many of the people shopping basic food products at brain-damage prices really are only getting better taste from being more careful in the prep work and care in cooking than the money it brings.

It's like a $1,000 watch versus a $100,000 one. 90% out there aren't going to know the difference, 9% will but still comment "that's a nice watch" for either, and some fraction will be impartial and another "DUDE WHY YOU GO SO CHEAP!" [on either selection].

 

[DCal430]

Because he is a troll and this is a troll thread.

First I am not a troll, second this is not a troll thread. I posted a link showing you were wrong about what was required by the label.