which takes its name from ‘balsamic’, meaning health giving, is a traditional product of the province of Modena in Italy, produced on an artisanal scale and greatly superior to any ‘balsamic vinegar’ which comes from factories.
Making the real thing takes a long time; see box.
Before any of the balsamic vinegar can be sold under the traditional label of authenticity, it is sampled blind by members of the guild of balsamic vinegar-makers, and has to be approved. The merits of the ‘real thing’ are undisputed, but may have been exaggerated towards the end of the 20th century by its becoming a fashionable ingredient in sophisticated restaurants in western countries; and the production of inferior kinds in factories has been encouraged by the glint of the gold which is attracted by the name.
The book by Professor Benedetto Benedetti (1986), who acknowledges no fewer than 19 other professors and experts as involved in its composition, covers the technical and legal aspects as well as history, traditions, etymology, and medical properties; a thorough work.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
Anderson, Burton (1994), Treasures of the Italian Table, New York: Willam Morrow.
Benedetti, Benedetto (1986), L'aceto balsamico, Spilamberto: Consorteria dell'Aceto Balsamico.
