Turn Cheap Balsamic Vinegar Into a Fancy Syrup

The first tasting of real balsamic vinegar can change your life. Traditionally prepared balsamic, also known as “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale”, is very different from what you see in the grocery store. While most products sold as “balsamic” are thin and tangy, traditional balsamic balm is thick, viscous, rich, and complex, with sweet notes of fig, chocolate, cherry, and/or prunes, depending on the wood in which it is aged. . not sour, but mild and tangy, and tastes incredible with ice cream, strawberries and freshly chopped tomatoes. Some even drink.

It’s also expensive—sometimes over a dollar a milliliter —which is clearly out of my vinegar budget. I prefer balsamic insalata, but I love a good balsamic syrup, especially as a tart counterpoint to sweet strawberry ice cream. Instead of spending my meager savings on fancy vinegar, I make Alice Medritch’s Smart Honey Balsamic Sauce .

Get everything you need to make Honey Balsamic Syrup (or just buy the expensive stuff):

• Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP 12 Yrs by Del Cristo
• Really cheap grocery store vinegar
• Also cheap honey

Boiling cheap balsamic vinegar with cheap honey doesn’t magically give your vinegar a barrel-aged nuance, but adds sweetness (obviously) and softens the vinegar’s harsher, pungent qualities. It also enhances the flavor of the grapes, giving them a richer flavor. The water evaporates and the two liquids turn into a thick, creepy syrup that pairs deliciously with fresh summer foods or ice cream. (I like Neapolitan, as the syrup pairs well with chocolate, strawberries, and vanilla.)

To make the sauce, mix 1 part honey with 2 parts vinegar, then cook over medium heat until reduced by half. Let the viscous syrup cool completely, then drizzle over the tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, cake, ice cream, and watermelon. It also pairs very well with meats, especially fried and charred ones.