Let’s talk oils and vinegars

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balsamic in gumbo

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wut

This is really good. Owned by an ex uncle of mine. LINK

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wut

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Any vinegar in a a soup/stew/gumbo sets off the flavors. Not a lot. Just before serving.

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Fresh olive oil has a spice to it.

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Tastes different based on numerous factors much like wine: terroir, that years weather, time of harvest etc. some taste incredibly fruity, some grassy and vegetal, some spicy, some nutty

I prefer RWV & substitute it in most recipes. I like making a simple dressing using RWV & lime juice. I prefer the unseasoned Marukan brand (green label). I typically do a 4:3 or 5:2 ratio depending on the intended purpose. Then just add a little sweetness (from either honey, agave, brown sugar or palm sugar), a neutral oil, and adjust the salt & pepper.

I also keep Lemon Vinegar on hand. It's a Korean brand & the only English on the bottle is the nutrition & ingredient label. It's pretty nice for tartar sauce & Caesar dressing.

One of my favorite vinegars to add to soups, stews, & braised items is Chinkiang Vinegar. I have the Gold Plum brand & if you like adding Balsamic to your gumbo, I would recommend getting a bottle of this. It is flavorful yet not as sweet as balsamic. A few drips also helps liven up fried rice & stir fried vegetables.

One last thing, if you like Balsamic vinegar, you should get a bottle of Sherry vinegar & try blending them. The sweetness of the bv is tamed by the dry sv, creating something new. It's a fun experiment.

almost every single "balsamic" on the shelves across the US are not real.


And there is no such thing as white balsamic.

I worked at the second oldest Lambrusco, balsamic maker outside Modena, Italy for a few weeks three years ago.

I buy the Cali Olive Ranch brand, specifically the US product (not the blended imported "destinations" version). I like supporting the US olive industry. I will buy smaller bottles of EVOO to carry home when I travel to oil producing areas, though.

Vinegars on hand:
--ridiculously expensive balsamico carried home from Italy (well worth the cost & effort)
--cheap, industrial apple cider vinegar used for pickling and brining
--rice wine
--malt vinegar made in Orkney from locally grown barley; it's a very odd flavor profile, but I buy edible souvenirs when I travel
--cheap industrial red wine vinegar, used to make kalamata style olives out of my backyard olive crop
--Bragg's apple cider vinegar with the "mother" in the bottle (I like it on salads)

I keep thinking I'll buy a vinegar crock and make some myself....but then I think, do I really need ANOTHER kitchen project? LOL.

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Oils like EVOO are important for cooking most Italian food and seafood, but why is it so hard to find good oil in the US? Has anyone here ever had real Italian EVOO and if so, how much better is it?

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Not to get picky, but can we stop calling it EVOO and call it olive oil. 99% of olive oil on the shelf is "extra virgin". EVOO sounds like a shitty bottled water in a fancy package.

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but can we stop calling it EVOO a

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Rachel Ray started that shite on the food network 15 years ago, it's so annoying.