Infused balsamic vinegars offer concentrated, flavored acidity best used with intention and restraint. They pair well with specific cheeses, fruits, and meats and work in both sweet and savory applications. Use infused balsamics as supporting elements rather than dominant flavors, applying them sparingly to enhance rather than overpower a dish. Consider visual impact because vinegars vary in color and affect presentation. Fig balsamic is dark, rich, often thick, with earthy sweetness and caramel-like undertones that mellow acidity. A classic application for fig balsamic is to drizzle it over pizza prosciutto e rucola.
Think outside the box and consider unique ways to use balsamic vinegars for both sweet and savory applications. Tap into which kinds of cheese, fruits, and meats are best accented by the flavor, and rein in how much you're using. With the intensity of a flavored balsamic vinegar, it's best to use it as a supporting role instead of a leading lady.
One of my favorite flavored balsamics to use is fig balsamic vinegar. It's a dark vinegar, rich and often thick, with an earthy sweetness brought about by the inclusion of figs. The fruit gives the vinegar an almost caramel-like undertone, mellowing out the intensity of the tangy vinegar. Figs add a mild fruitiness, without overpowering with tropical or sweet berry notes.
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