Gourmet vinegars: sweet and sour luxury

Traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, pearl pomegranate, kalamansi citrus and whatever you want to make directly at home. Of course, in exclusive designer ceramic pots.

We select the ten alternatives sour (and bittersweet) most original on the market, to add a surprising touch to your dishes. From a light salad to a chocolate ice cream.

Traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena

Modena is the city of Luciano Pavarotti, of Osteria Francescana ( the best italian restaurant in the world, the second according to the 50Best list) and, of course, the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. A luxury product, whose authenticity rests on two elements: his name and his form.

On the one hand, the denomination Vinagre Traditional Balsamic from Modena It is of protected origin and can only be used if the vinegar in question complies with all the established standards. Second, look at its unique blister-shaped bottle designed by the legendary Italian designer. Giorgetto Giugiaro. This delicatessen is so precious that there are those who serve it with a dropper. And it is not for less: the grape must from which the authentic Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena comes from at least passes 12 years in barrels of woods and different sizes. It is not surprising that 100 ml of this delicatessen costs from 60 to several hundred euros.

Vermouth Badia Wine Vinegar

Vinagre of Cava Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay. Badia is a company that has been producing vinegar for no less than five generations. In the process that takes place in its vinegar shop – which, by the way, can be visited by appointment – both white and red grape wines are used. Among them, that of Vermouth wine, perfect spicy for tapas, and balsamic Moscatel wine.

Both took two gold medals in the awards Great Taste in 2011. They also sell a balsamic vinegar made with ideal Lleida apples to pair with meats white and with the aromatic notes of nuts.

Belberry, exotic fruit vinegars

Belgian company specialized in gourmet fruit jams with more than 50 years of life, Belberry signs a range of fruit and vegetable vinegars that seduces as soon as you see it. Black currant, raspberry, sweet tomato, red pepper, Cameroon mango, kalamansi (a small citrus fruit similar to Kumquat or Chinese orange), lime and cucumber.

The price of a bottle of 200 ml rosa lot 10 euros, but the expense is worth it. An unexpected touch to a marinated dish, a salad, a carpaccio of meat, vegetables and, depending on the tastes of each one, also a dessert or an ice cream, it is simply priceless.

Oju *, vinegar so as not to take your eye off her

La Vignette It is a small winery that this year has taken the National Wine Tourism Award of Catalonia for his commitment to the territory and his active work in the wine tourism sector. Apart from wines, this company also produces a range of vinegars made with Macabeu and Garnacha grapes, in old 80-year-old barrels and using traditional methods.

No less important than the taste, the beautiful packaging from the hand of Mr. study. The best “dress” for this line of vinegars whose shades range from straw yellow to tile red through amber.

Marusho, rice vinegars with philosophy

“Fluid relationship between the environment respecting nature and its times.” This is the philosophy that governs the Japanese winery Marusho since 1879, the year of its foundation. Their rice vinegars – a must for all Japanese food addicts on this planet – are a “Living liquid” that require a state of calm and harmony during the production process. This means no electricity, no machinery, Japanese cedar deposits, and a lot of patience, as all vinegars are fermented and aged between 90 and 500 days.

An artisan process, which uses pure water and brown rice without pesticides. There are four varieties of rice vinegars: Sakazu, one of the best Japanese vinegars, made from fermented sake; Amazakesu, a milder vinegar; Korai Jo Sushi Su, special to pair with rice and Tosazu, vinegar macerated with dried tuna and seaweed. The 300 ml bottle sells for 14 euros.

Caviaroli Pomegranate Vinegar Pearls

Caviaroli is a young company that has revolutionized the world of cooking with its extra virgin olive oil caviar  (EVOO). It also markets a range of pearl vinegars that can be found both in specialized stores (jars of 50 gr cost 14 euros) as in some of the best restaurants in the country. Pedro Ximénez, vinegar from Modena and since last spring also pomegranate vinegar in 10 mm diameter pearls. A first in the sector.

Cult Vinegar, big words

On the one hand, there are Cult. vinegars, live vinegars, unpasteurized, with all the good of fermented foods produced from premium wines: from Riesling to Muscat, through Portuguese Vinho Verde and Bordeaux. On the other, there are vasesmade exclusively by the London designer Billy Lloyd to produce your own vinegar at home.

Red and white for the wines and yellow for the Sherry or Cider, the jars come with a vinegar vial containing the live bacteria necessary to start the process, a guideline book and recipes written by Jonathan Brown –Passionate about fermented foods and creator of the entire Cult project– and some labels. It will take two months to dress a salad with a few drops of your own unique vinegar, but it is well worth it. Hard to beat such a privilege.

L’Oli Ferrer: Pedro Ximénez Organic Vinegar

Sherry wines are undoubtedly one of the treasures of Spanish gastronomy. Among them, the Pedro Ximénez It is a natural sweet wine that is made only and exclusively with grapes of the variety that bears the same name and that then undergoes the double aging typical of all these wines. Produced from ecological grapes Pansified naturally in the sun, this Pedro Ximénez vinegar is ideal for salads, cold soups and marinated dishes. In addition, it comes in an elegant bottle of 100 and 200 ml (in this case, its price is close to 15 euros).

Bittersweet orange honey

Sweet and sour are food seasonings with an acidity below 6%, this means that they cannot be technically called vinegars, but they fulfill the same function. They are designed for those who do not get along very well with flavors that are too acidic, but who do want to give a more tasty and surprising twist to their dishes.

The newcomer this autumn is a bittersweet with orange honey born from the collaboration between Badia vinegars and the honey brand Alemany. Two expert houses, each one in its sector, in creating Gourmet products. Its ingredients: organic Moscatel wine and orange blossom honey. To start the season with honey on your lips.

Ace To 32, designer beer vinegar

This curious Italian vinegar It is designed to accompany fried foods, marinated dishes, stronger bites such as salmon or prawns, and even chocolate desserts. It can also be diluted in water or used in the “Liquid kitchen”, to give a more original (and difficult to guess) note to the cocktails.

Its main characteristic is that it is obtained by means of a long natural oxidation process, that is to say, direct contact and without further intervention between the beer that will turn into vinegar and the air. Ace To (which means vinegar in Italian) 32 produces it 32 Via dei Birrai, a small limited edition craft beer brewery. It can be purchased through your page web site.