The Finishing Balsamics Andrew Zimmern Can't Go Without

During a throwaway joke making fun of British cuisine, comedian Jim Gaffigan suggests that vinegar, a popular condiment in parts of the U.K., should be used exclusively as a cleaning supply. While Gaffigan's joke is certainly a clever bit of observational comedy, you shouldn't take it too seriously. In fact, the right vinegar can take an already delicious dish to the next level.

While options like apple cider and red wine vinegar can make a great addition to your meal, the undeniable king of the vinegar world is balsamic. Essentially, balsamic vinegar is made from fermented grape concentrate, which is aged in order to allow its intense, funky flavors to fully pop. However, all bottles of balsamic vinegar are not created equal. If you ask Andrew Zimmern, the host of "Bizarre Foods," buying the correct type of balsamic is the only way to ensure a fantastic finish to your meal.

Speaking with Food & Wine, Zimmern says that after being pulled from the oven, he pairs his peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream and either Malpighi Saporoso balsamic dressing — a sauce derived from balsamic vinegar — or Noble Tonic, which is actually a sherry vinegar finish. The idea of pairing vinegar with a sweet treat may seem strange, but Andrew Zimmern believes that balsamic is the secret to decadent desserts.

These are not the only balsamic products that Zimmern has at the ready in his kitchen. In a video on his Substack, Zimmern breaks down some of his favorite vinegars. While he expresses an aversion to balsamic vinegar, he does admit to owning a few glazes — Zimmern might finish his food with a hit from a beautiful bottle of Saba balsamic dressing or drizzle dinner with Condimela, a unique syrup made from apples that have been barrel-aged in the style of balsamic vinegar.

Bonafide balsamic vinegar, which hails from the Italian city of Modena, is grape concentrate that has been fermented for 12 years or more. Obviously, this lengthy process makes it a scarce and coveted product. As such, the balsamic vinegar in your pantry probably isn't the real stuff, but one of a number of knockoffs that are collectively referred to as balsamic vinegar of Modena.

Andrew Zimmern has a deep-seated disdain for balsamic vinegar of Modena. In a Substack post, Zimmern explained that the BVM label can be slapped on products that are made with very little actual grape and a slew of other additives, going so far as to say, "I could make homemade mushroom soup and call it balsamic vinegar if I wanted to." However, he always takes care to note that real balsamic vinegar can serve as the perfect complement to both savory and sweet dishes, though he admits that the price tag on the genuine article can be prohibitively high.