VINEGAR, MAPLE BALSAMIC

This is a condiment that we can no longer get from our specialty import store. It was from the Piedmont (Modena)  area of Italy and is special to that region because they do grow the grapes and maple trees there. Both ingredients are used to make both the light and dark balsamic vinegars from the Trebbino  grape. You can order a different brand of maple balsamic from Saratoga Olive Oil Co. We have not yet done that ourselves because when it was becoming more and more difficult to get our brand from Italy, we decided to make a stand-in of our own until we find it again.  If you need it now, try this simple recipe.

MAPLE WHITE BALSAMIC VINEGAR
Ingredients:
1 cup white balsamic vinegar (you may use champagne or a white wine vinegar). Just don’t be tempted to use white vinegar for cleaning chores. We use Terre Bormane brand of white wine grape vinegar.
4 tablespoons very good quality maple syrup, such as Vermont maple syrup, Grade B
Method:
Simply add the maple syrup to the vinegar and blend. If you add the vinegar slowly and taste as you go, you may use less or more than the total that we use here. It might depend upon the maple syrup you use. Imitation vanilla or maple syrup are not good substitutes here.