On my last trip to Italy, I decided to mix pleasure with business. While in Rome, we were overwhelmed by the fantastic architecture, the almost indescribable beauty of the Sistine Chapel, and the gastronomical delights in almost any restaurant in the city. We had been warned that “Pasta dishes in Italy are not what you think. In America we have sauce with pasta. In Italy, it’s pasta with sauce!” And that’s what we found: the pasta had almost no sauce on it. That lets the flavors of the pasta come through unmasked, but it was a surprise which, we were told, can be alleviated by asking for more sauce, and also asking for “meat sauce”.

What we were not prepared for, and it was an extremely pleasant surprise, was the appetizer: bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Here, in the “colonies”, when we are served balsamic vinegar, it’s like all other vinegars – acidic and sour. In Italy, nothing is farther from the truth. Balsamic vinegar is described in Wikipedia as “..The original traditional product (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale), made from a reduction of cooked white Trebbiano grape juice and not a vinegar in the usual sense, has been made in Modena and Reggio Emilia since the Middle Ages: the production of the balsamic vinegar is mentioned in a document dated 1046. During the Renaissance, it was appreciated in the House of Este. Today, the traditional balsamic vinegar is highly valued by chefs and gourmet food lovers.”

“Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale” is prepared in a process similar to how fine sherry is created: aged in barrels of various woods for years, during which its volume is reduced by natural evaporation. Again, from Wikipedia: “True balsamic vinegar is rich, glossy, deep brown in color and has a complex flavour that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks”.

You don’t have to travel to Italy or visit on-line importers to find and enjoy these rare tastes. I’m going to show you what to look for, and how to sort quickly between various brands in your local stores.

First, the obvious: look for vinegars that say that they are “traditional”, or actually say on the tag that they have been aged at least 12 years, or are recommended to be poured over ice cream or pastry. The second step is to pick the bottle up and tip it. The liquid inside should flow thickly. If it flows like water, it’s probably not what you want. The third step is to tip the bottle so that the liquid flows up over the inside of the neck. Aged product will actually coat the glass of the neck. If it doesn’t leave a coat on the neck, it’s probably not sweet. I have found that most aged liquids may be bottled and sold in rectangular, squat bottles. But be prepared: good, aged balsamic vinegars can be costly: it’s not uncommon to find aged traditional balsamic vinegars that can cost between $150 to $400 for a 100 ml bottle. However, acceptable, sweet, aged, traditional balsamic vinegar can be bought at markets like Whole Foods for under $30.

Norm Huffnagle enjoys sharing exotic recipes with friends and family. Although more of a ‘gourmand’ than a ‘gourmet’, he does ‘dabble’in that arcane art of unconventional cooking to the point that he has actually been invited back to do repeat performances. Norm specializes in ancient Chinese dishes, various flavors of Chilis, contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, and occasionally fiery Mexican preparations.

To lose weight we want to consume foods that are low in calories, but these foods most often taste terribly. But luckily for years chiefs around the world have come out with diet recipes that not only delicious but also make you lose your weight.

Here are some my big fat diet recipes that you might want to try:

Apple and Spinach Salad

The ingredients:

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 2 tsp honey

- 2 tsp Dijon mustard

- 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

- freshly ground black pepper to taste

- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

- 8 cups fresh baby spinach (about 8 ounces)

- 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced

- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese

How to cook:

The cooking instruction is very simple; just combine juices, mustard, honey, salt, and paper. Place onions and spinach, add dressing and toss together top with blue cheese.

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

The Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp sugar

- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

- 6 medium beets (about 2 1/2 pounds)

- 1 star anise

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

How to cook:

First you need to pre-heat your oven up to 400. Next you need to trim off all but one inch of the stem on beets, and you need to leave the root intact. Then you need to scrub with a brush, and wrap the beets in foil. Then you need to bake the beets for 1 hour, then cool the beets to room temperature, then peel and cut each beet into 8 wedges. At the last phase, you combine orange juice, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and star anise in a small saucepan, bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes until reduced to 1/3 cups. Throw off the star anise. Then combine beets, vinegar mixture, salt, and pepper then toss well.

The instructions mentioned above are just general guidelines, feel free to experiment or add your own mixture.

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