Vinegar, balsamic

Balsamic vinegar is a dark, syrupy vinegar most often whisked with olive oil into a simple vinaigrette, drizzled over a caprese salad of tomato and fresh mozzarella, or reduced on the stovetop into a thick glaze for grilled vegetables, roasted meats, and even strawberries. Its flavor sits between sweet and sharply acidic, which is why it works equally well finishing a savory dish or spooned over fruit and a scoop of something creamy. Cooks reach for it to add depth to pan sauces or to brighten roasted root vegetables without adding much liquid.

Because vinegar is preserved by its own acidity, a bottle keeps well in a cool, dark pantry for a long time without refrigeration; just keep the cap tight to slow evaporation and flavor drift. At 88 calories per 100 g, most of that comes from natural sugar (15 g per 100 g), so it reads as a condiment rather than a food to eat in volume, a tablespoon (16 g) is a small fraction of that. It is also naturally low in sodium (23 mg per 100 g), which makes it a useful way to add bright, concentrated flavor to a salad or vegetable side without reaching for the salt shaker.