Does your pantry include both Balsamic Glaze or Balsamic Vinegar? No longer thought of as specialty items, these both seem to be readily available.
What Is Balsamic Vinegar
Quality Traditional Balsamic Vinegar from Modena, Italy is labelled Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale with the D.O.P. stamp (“Denominazione di Origine Protetta”). Similar to real champagne, there is a strict certification process that must be completed in order to carry this stamp.
True Balsamic Vinegaris developed of whole pressed grapes and aged in wooden barrels for 12 – 25 years. In addition, it gets thicker and more concentrated as it ages so is classed by age. The grading is affinato (fine), aged 12-years, vecchio (old), aged 15-20 years; or extra vecchio (extra old), aged 20-25 years.
So then you have to ask, does quality really matter? Well, most of the time, the answer is yes.
Affordable Balsamic Vinegar and Labels
A more affordable selection is Balsamic Vinegarof Modena with the I.G.P. stamp (Protected Geographical Indication).
Once you become a label-reader you are no longer surprised to discover ingredients in any seemingly straightforward product, even vinegar. These two bottles have an ingredient list, although they are gluten free. Our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar specialist suggest buying anything from Italy if possible.
Artificial Balsamic Vinegar
Aisle grocery store Balsamic Vinegar is most likely artificial. If the label was marked “imitation” or “artificial” you might think twice before purchasing that balsamic vinegar. Usually these commercial grade Balsamic Vinegars are more likely wine vinegar with added sugar and artificial ingredients.
Using Balsamic Vinegar
This is how our Balsamic Vinegar specialist suggest you use Balsamic Vinegar:
Balsamic Glaze and How to Use It
Balsamic glaze is a condiment from Italy and can be called glassa or crema. Simply put, a reduction of Balsamic Vinegar. If you can not find it you can make it. Bring 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil then simmer until it is reduced to ¼ cup.
If you decide to purchase it, you will see. However, one look at the label and you see an ingredient list. The label for this glaze is written in Italian and it contains ‘goma di xantano’
Here are my three incredible ways to use balsamic glaze:
Is avocado oil better than Olive Oil in your kitchen and is it safe to be frying with Olive Oil?
What Is Avocado Oil?
Similar to Olive Oil, Avocado Oil is one of the few cooking oils extracted directly from the fruit, instead of being chemically extracted from seeds. Additionally, avocado fruit contains around 30% oil and it is extracted in a comparable way to Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Avocado oil is a very healthy cooking oil, with an exceptionally beneficial fatty acid profile, great levels of antioxidants and other healthy compounds. Furthermore, it has a very high smoke point that makes it ideal for frying with.
Frying with Avocado Oil Instead of Olive Oil
Along with healthy coconut oil, avocado oil is one of the top oils to have in your kitchen when cooking.
The refined oil has a very high smoke point, generally listed as between 480 Fahrenheit and 520 Fahrenheit (270 Celsius). That’s what makes it a perfect choice for stir-frys and other high-temperature cooking.
On the other end, Olive Oil’s smoke point, by comparison, can vary greatly depending on the grade of the Olive Oil and its processing. Additionally, low quality ‘light’ Olive Oil is generally cited at a highest smoke point of around 430 Fahrenheit (210 Celsius), which may be ok for medium frying.
However, take into consideration that Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the type of olive oil we’re told is the healthiest and best to purchase, can have a smoke point as low as 220 Fahrenheit (105 Celsius), which is definitely not suitable for high temperature cooking or pretty much any kind of frying.
Virgin Avocado Oil is also typically advertised with a comparable high smoke point to refined avocado oil. To be on the safe side of things, it would be best to keep Virgin Avocado Oil under 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit when cooking.
This is still significantly higher than virgin olive oil, but the essential thing is to avoid is having whatever cooking oil you are using smoking heavily in the pan. At that point, any health benefits the oil used to have are gone and there’s a decent chance dangerous compounds have been developed
Monounsaturated Fats and Avocado Oil
Cold pressing creates a high quality and ideal tasting avocado oil with very low levels of acidity and oxidation and a variety of benefits for your health. One of the major benefits is the extremely high level of beneficial monounsaturated fats.
Extra Virgin Avocado Oil has a monounsaturated fatty acid level of around 72% to 76%, which is even higher than olive oil’s at approximately 67%. In addition, it also has less saturated fat, at close to 13%, whereas Olive Oil is generally in the vicinity of 17%.
Research has displayed monounsaturated fatty acids to be one of the healthiest kinds of fats you can consume. They are known to aid in reducing your LDL cholesterol levels, which can lead to a lowering your risk of heart disease.
