Balsamic vinegar introduction

Balsamic vinegar is steeped in history. Italian Balsamic Vinegar was commercialized well after World War II, but its real introduction to the world of gourmet cooking occurred in the latter 1970s, when Italian chefs realized its intense flavors and complexity added wondrously to their cooking styles. Foreigners were attracted to this new condiment and its awareness grew swiftly. The local balsamic vinegar producing families of Modena and Reggio could not cope with the sharp rise in the demand. Imitation vinegars were seen as a way to take advantage of the situation and thus became prevalent on the market. In the late 1970s, commercial cheap balsamic vinegar recorded annual sales of over 1.75 million liters while the authentic tradizionale sold only 1760 liters.The traditional producers of Modena and Reggio sought to distinguish themselves from the imitation versions by waging campaigns. A fierce rivalry resulted with each of the two towns claiming their exclusivity on the acclaimed vinegar. Finally in 1987, Modena and Reggio were granted a dual Domain of Control, or DOC.read more here, http://oilandvinegar.cruets.com/balsamic-vinegar-introduction

Watch this short video about bread dipping with oil and vinegar.

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