What is Balsamic Vinaigrette?
Balsamic vinaigrette is a popular salad dressing made from balsamic vinegar, oil and seasonings. The result is a thin dressing with an oily texture and a color that is a dark brown/red. The flavor is tart, fruity and salty.
Ingredients
Water is a substance and chemical compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen. It is clear, fluid, flavorless and odorless. Water is a necessity in nearly every aspect of life, including cooking, baking and hydrating the human body. Water can be served as a cold beverage, or at any temperature comfortable to the mouth and skin.
Canola oil is a popular and readily available oil in America, due to its inexpensive price and neutral flavor. Canola oil comes from the rapeseed plant, the oil is pressed from the seeds and has a yellow color. It is a thin oil that is best for medium high heat, such as sautéing, though is commonly used for deep frying. Canola can be found in baked good, salad dressings, and a vast variety of food products.
Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.
True balsamic vinegar is a non-alcoholic vinegar made from cooked grapes. It has a rich, dark red/brown color and a flavor that is tart, fruity and strong. True balsamic vinegar is slightly thick, though many balsamic vinegar brands are thin and paler in color and made from wine vinegar rather than traditional methods. Balsamic pairs well with many foods from salad dressings, to fish, meat vegetables and even dessert.
Cherry juice is pressed from the cherry, a small red fruit with a pit. Cherry juice is reddish in color and the same consistency as a water, though sticky when spilled and dried, due to the sugar content in the juice. The flavor is sweet and tart. Cherry juice may have apple juice added for extra sweetness, though does not impede the flavor.
Wine vinegar is vinegar made from wine. It can be made from red or white wine, but commonly is red. The longer the vinegar ages the more flavorful it becomes. Wine vinegar often has a thin water-like viscosity, but high quality versions are thicker. They are usually a dark red color, that may border on brown. The flavor is tart and aged wine vinegar will be slightly sweet. It is used to season many Mediterranean dishes.
Olive oil is extracted from the fresh olive, which grows on a tree. Many olives are needed in the extraction of the oil. This is done by a mechanical process and sometimes by a chemical process, though the mechanical method is highly preferred. Olive oil is a golden color and changes slightly due to whether it is extra virgin, or first cold pressed. The flavor of olive oil depends on how it was processed. Lower quality oils will taste mild, while high quality olive oils will have a robust flavor that is green, or may have a spicy quality. Extra virgin and first cold pressed or preferred. Olive oil lends a depth of flavor to any savory dish.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Additives are added to food items in small quantities to improve the flavor, change the texture, enhance appearance, or preserve the item. Additives are both natural and artificial. Natural additives have been used for a long time, while many artificial ones were discovered in the 19th century. There are numerous artificial additives including soy lecithin, guar gum, ascorbic acid and sodium nitrite.
