Balsamico!

A Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook

In recent years, balsamic vinegar, or aceto balsamico, as it's known in Italy, has become the gem of the pantry, claiming its rightful place among some of the world's most prized ingredients. What was once the coveted dowry or inheritance of Italian nobility, is now a widely acclaimed flavoring available at markets and specialty shops the world over. In Balsamico!, cooking instructor and award-winning cookbook author Pamela Sheldon Johns chronicles the vinegar's transformation from "elixir of kings" to today's most popular flavoring and entices us with over 50 original recipes that reveal the extraordinary versatility characteristic of balsamico.

Journey to the romantic Italian towns of Modena and Reggio Emilia to discover the complex and secretive heritage of balsamic vinegar-making, a traditional craft practiced for centuries in the cool, open-air attics of Italian country estates and villas. As you learn about the art and science of the process, including how it is aged and nurtured for several decades by generations of dedicated artisans, you'll also find in-depth advice on selecting both commercial and fine, traditional balsamic vinegars.

Aceto balsamico, with its sweet, pungent aroma and flavor, lends a savory fullness to nearly every dish, from salads to desserts. This timeless, irresistible collection includes:

• Roasted Asparagus Drizzled with Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale
• Pumpkin Gnocchi in Aceto Balsamico Cream Sauce
• Pork Roasted with Apples, Honey, and Balsamico
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Cherry-Balsamico Topping

With evocative photographs of the traditional vinegar-making process, as well as tantalizing photography of the many inspired recipes, Balsamico! presents a delightful tribute to one of Italy's signature ingredients.

Balsamico! A Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook by Pamela Sheldon Johns - Ten Speed Press, February 1999 - Hardcover - 111 pages