Balsamic Vinegar

In a little more than 10 years, balsamic vinegar has gone from utter obscurity to great renown, from the precious stocks of families in Modena, Italy, to American supermarket shelves. That's less time than it takes to make a batch of it at its dark, viscous, deliciously sweet and mellow best.The Italian name "balsamic" derives from the aromatic quality of the vinegar, whose sudden rise to popularity is an element in the explosion of interest in regional Italian food products like risotto, extra-virgin olive oil and porcini mushrooms.

Wings are football food. There's no denying it. But they're certainly not health food. This recipe gives your arteries a bit of a break because the chicken is roasted instead of fried. There's no loss in flavor, though, thanks to a sweet and tangy glaze made with soy sauce, sugar and balsamic vinegar. They're sticky, for sure, but it's worth it. Just bring napkins (and maybe wet wipes) along with the wings for the game-day festivities. Balsamic soy-glazed chicken wings 4-5 pounds chicken wingettes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.

The Ferrari of vinegars? That would be balsamic vinegar, made exclusively in northern Italy in the provinces of Reggio and Modena (the latter also famous for producing Ferraris and tenor Luciano Pavarotti). The finest balsamics -- artisan-made or "tradizionale" as opposed to commercially produced -- have more in common with fine liqueur, port or sherry than with other vinegars, and over the centuries have been served in thimble-sized goblets for toasts on extraordinary occasions. A hard-to-come-by bottle of the nectar can now cost more than $100, and little is available to the public.

When I'm making roast chicken, I like to keep everything else very simple. I'll typically roast green beans or asparagus, but this time I decided to go with brussels sprouts. I know not everyone is a fan, but I guess I'm the odd one out. I really like them, and was reminded that I do not eat enough of them, so into the basket they went. Roasted Brussels Sprouts 1 lb brussels sprouts 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt Balsamic vinegar Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse brussels sprouts.

I bought 18-year-old aged balsamic vinegar recently, but am unsure how to use it beyond salads. Do you have any simple recipes to share? I don't know what you spent on that balsamic vinegar, but if you did spend upward of $50 to $75, I'd be curious as to whether you confessed that purchase to your spouse and what his reaction was. Many moons ago, I decided I couldn't live without a 2-ounce bottle of 50-year-old balsamic. With my chef's discount, it was still $125 and you had to use an eyedropper to dispense the one or two drops you might use at a time.

Ten years ago my husband and I along with friends rented a house in the Italian countryside for a week. During our stay we enjoyed visiting the surrounding villages, sight- seeing and sampling the foods of the region. Half the time we ate out and the remainder we cooked in.One day, as we were making lunch, an older woman, who was a part-time housekeeper for our place, noticed several of our group getting ready to cook a chicken. Out of the blue, she offered to prepare, right there in our kitchen, an Italian-style roasted chicken with herbs.

*TC You use it by the drop, not by the dollop. But it has the power to make salads sing and pastas pop. It can cheer up a grilled chicken breast, glaze a festive fowl such as duck or turkey, add sparkle to roasted vegetables."

Low-fat, fast and multipurpose, this sauce can be used on almost any variety of grilled, broiled, baked or sauted fish or even on chicken. Make the most of the farmers' market by serving an abundance of produce such as broccoli and corn on the cob with the fish.For the finale of this low-fat meal, offer a refreshing peach Melba with fresh ginger: Top a scoop of low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt with sliced fresh peaches.Combine some fresh raspberries with a drizzle of orange juice and a pinch of grated ginger.

One of the joys of using balsamic vinegar is that it lends itself to simple preparations. Here are some tips for using it:*Combine 3 parts to 1 or 2 parts to one, depending on taste, with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss with salad greens.*Just before taking spaghetti sauce off stove, stir in a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Or add a few drops at end of cooking to stew.*Chef Michael Gettier, of M. Gettier: Sprinkle fresh sliced tomatoes with fresh-ground black pepper and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

There's no doubt that fresh spinach is good for us, and it can be delicious, too. But it used to take so much time and devotion to clean it. The stems had to be cut or pulled off and the leaves submerged in plenty of cold water; sometimes it took two or three changes of water to remove every trace of grit and grime. Then it needed to be drained and dried.Now it's in the bag, prominently displayed in the produce section. It's clean and ready to cook or eat raw.Place several handfuls of clean spinach-in-the-bag in a microwave-safe casserole -- stems and all; the leaves can be left whole or chopped for easier eating.

I like it when restaurateurs take chances. The Blue Hill Tavern, which opened this summer, is one of the best recent examples I can think of, at a time when many owners are throwing in the towel or turning their places into sports bars. The location is surprising, in an area that hasn't been gentrified yet. Yet here is the Blue Hill Tavern, a soaring building with open, contemporary spaces, lots of glass and wood, two bars on two levels, multiple dining areas and decorative details like a waterfall behind the bar. It may not be so appealing in the winter - there's so little fabric it will seem bare - but right now it's airy and spacious (and noisy, of course)

Steak with onions and balsamic vinegar cooked to a sweet glaze is a perfect dinner. Linguine with fresh basil and tomatoes makes a colorful side dish. Balsamic vinegar is made in Modena, Italy. To be sure you are buying good-quality vinegar, check the labels; grapes should be the only ingredient. Lesser-quality vinegars have brown sugar added. Top-quality balsamic vinegars are aged 25 to 50 years and are used drop by drop. Choose a medium-priced one for cooking. Wine suggestion: Hearty steak with powerful balsamic vinegar is an occasion for a powerful Italian barolo.

This is one of those simple dishes that comes to you in a flash of inspiration. What better complement to the innate richness of salmon than smoky bacon broiled crisp? Anoint it all with the funky sweetness of a good balsamic vinegar. Serve a simple green salad and steamed broccoli florets spritzed with lemon juice as contrast. Bill Daley writes for the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis. Menu Broiled Salmon With Bacon; broccoli spritzed with lemon; baby greens salad; French bread; vanilla ice cream Broiled Salmon With Bacon Makes 4 servings -- Total time: 13 minutes 4 salmon fillets, about 1 pound 1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper 4 slices bacon 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (divided use)

There are spots where no restaurant lasts for long, for whatever reasons. The location where Indigma has opened is one of those. By my reckoning, it's been a Donna's Restaurant, a Ruby Lounge under two different owners, Saffron (with two completely different concepts and different executive chefs) and now Indigma, a restaurant that showcases innovative Indian cuisine, mostly northern but with touches of southern. If you're happy with your neighborhood Indian restaurant's lamb saag and chicken tikka masala, I'm not going to urge you to try Indigma.

BLTs, one of America's favorite sandwiches, have always been a passion for me and my family, and over the years I have experimented with various versions of this classic combination. Not so long ago, I had another brainstorm -- the BLT quesadilla! I spread large flour tortillas with creamy goat cheese mixed with some ground cumin, then the classic trinity followed -- sliced tomatoes drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar, bits of bacon and, finally, some baby spinach leaves. After the tortillas were folded in half, they were quickly grilled on a stovetop grill pan. (A skillet will work if you don't own a grill pan.)

In her seventh cookbook, A Twist of the Wrist, chef Nancy Silverton offers a primer for people with little time but a large pantry. It's a radical change of pace for Silverton, whose previous books had more complex recipes. This one was adapted from a contribution from guest chef Jody Adams. PEPPERED BALSAMIC ICE CREAM WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES Serves 4, with leftovers 1 pint premium vanilla ice cream 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, plus extra for drizzling 1 quart ripe strawberries 1/2 cup sugar Scoop the ice cream into the bowl of a standing electric mixer, keeping the carton to refreeze the ice cream.

This is one of those simple dishes that comes to you in a flash of inspiration. What better complement to the innate richness of salmon than smoky bacon broiled crisp? Anoint it all with the funky sweetness of a good balsamic vinegar. Serve a simple green salad and steamed broccoli florets spritzed with lemon juice as contrast. Bill Daley writes for the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis. Menu Broiled Salmon With Bacon; broccoli spritzed with lemon; baby greens salad; French bread; vanilla ice cream Broiled Salmon With Bacon Makes 4 servings -- Total time: 13 minutes 4 salmon fillets, about 1 pound 1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper 4 slices bacon 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (divided use)

In her seventh cookbook, A Twist of the Wrist, chef Nancy Silverton offers a primer for people with little time but a large pantry. It's a radical change of pace for Silverton, whose previous books had more complex recipes. This one was adapted from a contribution from guest chef Jody Adams. PEPPERED BALSAMIC ICE CREAM WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES Serves 4, with leftovers 1 pint premium vanilla ice cream 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, plus extra for drizzling 1 quart ripe strawberries 1/2 cup sugar Scoop the ice cream into the bowl of a standing electric mixer, keeping the carton to refreeze the ice cream.

Recipe of the Week: Kabobs 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Grilling Lobel's Prime Time Grilling Recipes & Tips From America's #1 Butchers By Stanley, Leon, Evan, Mark and David Lobel Wiley / 2007 / $27.95 I've never been to the Lobels' famous Madison Avenue butcher shop, frequented by Manhattan's finest socialites and celebrities. But man, oh man, do I want to go now. The second edition of their cookbook includes 160 recipes, ranging from brisket, ribs, duck and pheasant to the perfect-sounding burgers.

When it comes to cabbage, think pink. Cabbage contains indoles, a chemical that can rid the body of excess estrogen, lowering a woman's risk for breast cancer. In ancient cultures, cabbage was considered a medicine. More recently, the National Cancer Institute has found that consuming cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, may prevent a variety of cancers. This chopped salad offers several twists to the typical summer coleslaw. For instance, chopped celery is a common ingredient, but fennel adds a sweet crunchiness while providing a vitamin A and a fair amount of calcium, phosphorous and potassium.