balsamic vinegar
 

Will be in Florence area for a couple of weeks. Does anyone know anything about balsamic vinegar - how to choose it etc. I understand Modena is a place to go to buy it but does anyone know where there and what kind? Or anywhere else in the Tuscan region to get it??

lyv; Balsamic vinegar is one of my top ten fav. food products. I am not an expert, but I do love the stuff...even over ice cream, yummm!

I believe it's all about the aging of the vinegar--- the older it is, the better... and the more expensive. <BR>For me, anything in the 8-12 year range is quite good- but you can also buy balsamic aged 50-80 years- if you've got $150+ to spend on 3.5 oz of vinegar! <BR>

All true. It gets sweeter and denser as it ages, and there is a lot of wastage. I find very old balsamic vinegar really a bit too much! Ice cream actually sounds like quite a good idea.

Try a nice aged one drizzled over freshly shaved parmigiano, it's to die for. A most basic little dish that's amazing!