Tasting real-deal balsamic vinegar for the first time can be life-changing. Traditionally made balsamic—aka “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale”—is a far cry from the stuff you see at the grocery store. Where most of the stuff sold as “balsamic” is thin and sharp, traditional balsamic is thick, viscous, rich, and complex, with sweet notes of fig, chocolate, cherry and/or prune, depending on the wood it’s aged in. It’s not sour, but mellow and tangy, and tastes incredible on ice cream, strawberries, and freshly sliced tomatoes. Some people even drink it.
It’s also expensive—sometimes over a dollar a milliliter—which is decidedly outside of my vinegar budget. I’m more of a “balsamic insalata” girl, but I love a good balsamic-flavored syrup, especially as a tart counterpoint to sweet strawberry ice cream. Rather than blow my meager savings on fancy vinegar, I make Alice Medrich’s clever honey balsamic sauce.
Get everything you need to make balsamic honey syrup (or just buy the expensive stuff):
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Simmering cheap balsamic with cheap honey does not magically give your vinegar the nuance of something that was aged in a battery of barrels, but it does add sweetness (obviously) and soften the vinegar’s stingier, sharper qualities. It also intensifies the grape flavor, giving it a jammier vibe. Water is driven off, and the two liquids reduce into a thick, creeping syrup that’s delicious on fresh summer produce or ice cream. (I like it on Neapolitan, as the syrup works well with chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla.)
To make the sauce, combine 1 part honey with 2 parts vinegar, then simmer over medium-low heat until it reduces by half. Let the viscous syrup cool completely, then drizzle on tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, cake, ice cream, and watermelon. It’s also pretty good on meat, particularly something grilled and charred.