One fine spring day close to Easter. Flowers are blossoming and sweaters are finally being shed in New England. Russell sits contentedly in his stroller as I take him out for a walk in the sun.
Back home, my husband and I opened an artisanal bottle of balsamic vinegar at lunch. We love fine balsamic vinegar and enjoy sipping it in a sherry glass. Our favorite of the month is Villa Manodori, which, according to the bottle label, is "produced in very small quantities by Massimo Bottura, chef and owner of Osteria Francescana restaurant in Modena....It is matured for 10 to 20+ years in small barrels of oak, chestnut and juniper woods, yielding a balsamic of dark rich color, intense aroma and syrupy consistency."
Syrupy it certainly is, as it grudgingly pours out of the bottle and into the sherry glass. It leaves a thick film on one the side of the glass as we tickle our tongue with its sinewy sweet drop. What a perfect pair to a sizzling thick cut of ribeye or pork chop. Stands up well to oily fish like salmon and mackerel, too. Does wonders to a humble plate of fresh mozzarella and vine-ripened tomatoes. But, it is best when tasted in small sips by itself. The complex flavors of wood and fruit just burst in your mouth. I see my husband stick his finger into the empty glass and smear his finger with the residue. "I've never sucked my fingers before," he intones, as he sucks on his index finger like our baby son.
