Have you ever wondered what is balsamic vinegar? Many of us know it to be one of the popular dressings for our salads, but did you know it’s one of the healthiest and tastiest options compared to other salad dressings? After all, the last thing you want to do is to negate the health benefits of eating your salad by using an unhealthy dressing. But what about people who say that the balsamic is a high fat dressing just like the rest? To answer that question, you need to understand what balsamic really is and how that translates into health benefits for you.

What Is Balsamic Vinegar – A Brief Overview

It is actually a product that is high in fat, but it’s the good kind of fat! The oils that it is made out of is actually olive oil, which is known to lower cholesterol levels instead of contributing to it. So you don’t need to worry that you are undoing the health benefits of eating healthy salads, because adding the balsamic dressing only heightens the benefits to you.

Adding balsamics is not limited to just salads, in fact you can substitute it for the traditional vinegar when pouring it on chips, or even when cooking certain meat like pork and chicken. What the balsamic does is tenderize the meat, and adds a rich depth of flavor as well without compromising on the healthiness of the actual dish.

What Is Balsamic Vinegar – Differences Between Traditional And Commercial

When you’re buying the balsamic, you might come across many different kinds of it. You should know that there’s a difference between the balsamic vinegar and the “Balsamico Tradizionale”, because it’s not just some fancy Italian name and brand. There’s a very real difference between the two. So what is Balsamic Vinegar “Tradizionale” and how does it differ from the standard ones we get at the supermarket?

The traditional version of it is actually extremely valuable, and shouldn’t be wasted on salad dressing. It’s extremely expensive, and it will set you back more than even a vintage bottle of wine! Obviously you won’t get confused between the two, as the price difference is huge. But anyway, there’s a whole lot of commercial balsamics out there on the market that you can try, so now that you know what is balsamic vinegar and the Health Benefits, you can use it to replace your unhealthy salad dressings.

Find out what is balsamic vinegar and what the health ramifications are for you and your family.

The truth about what is balsamic vinegar and its health benefits will surprise you!

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“Italy, and the spring and first love all together should suffice to make the gloomiest person happy.” – Bertrand Russell

The strains of classic Italian folk music are heard in the distance as the doors open on something new, yet something altogether regal. The villa in Carpi is one of Italy’s national historic landmarks and the Villa Bellentani sits as one of its crown jewels. Built in the 18th century, the Villa Bellentani harkens to an era of rich heritage and rural sensibilities. Now, this same villa is a perfect blend or uncommon historic beauty coupled with state of the art facilities for aging balsamic vinegar for yet another appreciative generation.

It’s plain to see that the world has discovered a special love affair with Modena balsamic vinegar, yet it is also true that two other facts are equally evident. 1) There doesn’t seem to be enough quality balsamic vinegar to meet growing world demand and, 2) while inferior vinegars are easily obtained they spoil the pristine image and taste of true, aged balsamic vinegar. The Italian producer Villa Bellentani is making efforts to offer some of Modena’s best vinegar, yet preserve the integrity of the balsamico heritage.

It was with a deep respect for the thousand year History Of Balsamic Vinegar that Italian vineyard growers join with producers at Villa Bellentani to develop quality aged balsamic vinegar that holds to the timeless traditions of Italy’s finest producers.

Americans discovered balsamic vinegar in the 1980’s, but it was tradition passed down from father to son over many centuries that resulted in the ‘overnight success’ of the finest vinegars the world has ever known.

The same country that brought you such notable artists as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci as part of the Renaissance also provides a culinary artistry that offers incomparable quality and taste – the wonderfully adaptable aged balsamic vinegar, aceto balsamico di Modena.

It is certain that such taste has value far beyond the purchase price. Long standing Italian history comes into focus when the balsamic vinegars of Villa Bellentani are tasted and found worthy to attain the ranks of the ‘world’s finest’.

Producers around the world have attempted to duplicate the Modena balsamic vinegar, but few pay regard to the tradition and taste that find customers willing to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for well aged blends. It is a shame to see something so precious treated in such a common way by many who will claim a product of comparable quality. In truth, much of what sells as balsamic vinegar is little more than common vinegar mixed with caramelized brown sugar. Yet in Carpi there’s a wooden cask of balsamic vinegar that has aged for more than a decade, and one day some of the precious liquid inside could find its way to your table. Your eyes will close and you take in an appreciative breath, for the taste was worth the wait.

The pace of life in Carpi is a world removed from most urban cultures. Perhaps it is that slower pace that is beneficial when you discover the difference in well aged balsamic vinegar in the grand tradition of Italy. Villa Bellentani a family estate producer seeks to fill that void.

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The balsamic vinegar only became popular in the culinary world about two and a half decades ago, and right now, the use of balsamic vinegar is still increasing in popularity as it reaches more and more kitchens.  But did you know that the balsamic vinegar used to be a very well-kept secret in just a small part of Italy?  That most of the country does not even know that this type of vinegar exists, let alone the rest of the world?

The authentic balsamic vinegar used to be called Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale.  The process involved in creating balsamic vinegar out of a certain grape was a long and painstaking process that, much like a wine, it will usually take years for the special vinegar to mature and age properly.  Because of the meticulousness needed in the production of the balsamic vinegar, it became a very prized possession that even rich families would only open a bottle on very special occasions or when a need arises.

Balsamic vinegar originally came from the Italian regions of Modena as well as Reggio, and the people from these areas have been producing balsamic vinegar since the ancient times, with the very first historical record of balsamic vinegar dating back to the mid 1040s.  It became sort of a well-kept secret and a part of family traditions because of the uniqueness of the vinegar’s quality, the process involved in the production, and the fact that the grapes used in the production of balsamic vinegar, the Trebbiano grape, is a local grape only found then in these regions of Italy.  The process of producing balsamic vinegar was very arduous that it was first not intended for commercial use.  Hence, it was not that popular outside of this particular Italian region.  The “secret recipe” to making balsamic vinegar was even considered as an heirloom that one generation would often pass it on to another

However, they would use it as gifts though to friends and loved ones.  They would pour the balsamic vinegar into small vials and give it away as gifts, and because it was a very exotic vinegar, it was also treated as an expensive commodity that it soon found itself a part of a dowry or a gift for a king.

As stated above, the production of balsamic vinegar became a part of tradition in Modena, that barrels will only be made once in a while to allow it to age and mature properly.  People outside of the region will only get a bottle of balsamic vinegar if sent as gifts.  Pretty soon, its popularity grew that it can no longer be kept a secret.

Mass production of balsamic vinegar happened, but the best balsamic vinegar production still comes from the Modena region.

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