A simple and fresh Italian caprese salad with flavourful aged balsamic vinegar. This salad is best when served chilled.
Balsamic vinegar is most certainly one of the top Italian ingredients that can change everyday foods into a unique, mouth-watering experience. Original balsamic vinegar is made from the reduction of grape juice, usually trebbiano or lambrusco grapes. The rich, dense liquid that derives from this reduction, called must, is then put into barrels for several years to age. The minimum stay in order to receive the dop status (which stands for protected origin of the product) is 12 months. Under that period balsamic vinegars are not to be considered traditional. Ageing can go up to 18, 25 years or even more, and generally each threshold has a specific labelling. Traditional balsamic vinegar holds two specific typical denominations, which are: aceto balsamico tradizionale di modena and aceto balsamico tradizionale di reggio emilia. If the standards required to acquire the specific regional denomination are not met, it means the product is an imitation and therefore cannot be labelled accord.