Lidia's Italy

When shopping for balsamic vinegar, look for the legendary “aceto balsamico tradizionale”, which indicates that the product is the result of the traditional method of production involving five years in wooded barrels of different sizes. The vinegar so labeled is far superior, and is accordingly quite expensive. Its characteristics are molasses-like consistency, lively brown color, a mildly acidic “nose,” and a smooth, subtle interplay of sweet and sour flavors. The “aceto balsamico tradizionale” is packaged and sold only in small bottles that have a bulb bottle as a base and a long neck and are marked Tradizionale.