injipoint > wrote:

>I understand why they charge for something they've held onto for 50
>years but can you tell the difference between an ordinary Balsamic and
>an aged one? I've tried, but I admit I haven't experimented up in the
>$100 range, only in the "this is $3 and that costs $15" range. Seemed
>the same to me.

Balsamic vinegar has sort-of collapsed into a two-pronged market.
There is the DOP product, all of which is very similar, very syrup-y,
very concentrated, and pretty much all the same (super high) price.

Then there is lesser product, most of which is not very good at all.
This poses a problem because there seems to be no more mid-priced,
non-syrupy, somewhat acidic, good somewhat concentrated Balsamic vinegar
anymore.

The consortium, in this case, may have ruined the availaibility of
good product.

Some restaurants have taken to mixing one part DOP with five parts
random Balsamic vinegar to place on the table.


Steve