With 25 years in the specialty food business, we've seen our share of ingredients come in and out of popularity. One of our jobs is to determine what will stick around, like quinoa, and what will not, like Açaí.

When something's been made since the year 1046, our decision is a little easier. Balsamic vinegar has been an integral part of the cuisine of Modena for a thousand years and even still, balsamic vinegar wasn't seen outside of this tiny region until the 1970's. Because of this, when it showed up in the US it seemed like the next big thing! 

In the eighties and nineties, balsamic was EVERYWHERE...restaurant menus, specialty foods and magazines...and while it's not as trendy now as it was then, balsamic vinegar has proven to be a more than a fad.  It's a simple recipe that's nearly impossible to replicate - the best Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes, the slow acetification and the gentle aging in wooden barrels. No one does it better than Acetaia Leonardi.  

Balsamic ideas, both old and new...

• NEW: Balsamic Browned Butter - In a small saucepan, heat one stick of unsalted butter over medium high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, watch carefully, swirling the pan until the butter begins to brown. Once it is lightly brown, (it'll smell very nutty), remove from the heat and swiril in 3 tablespoons of 3 Year balsamic. Season with salt and pepper. This is incredible with pan-roasted halibut or cod. It's also wonderful over asparagus or roasted carrots.
• OLD: Salsa di Nonna (Grandma's Sauce) - In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss in one chopped plum tomato, one diced hard-cooked egg and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Lower from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of 5 Year Balsamic. Serve over roasted chicken or fish.  
• NEW: Balsamic Ice Cream - We've all heard of balsamic over ice cream - and it's delightful - but how about balsamic IN the ice cream! Make your favorite vanilla ice cream, (our go-to is Martha Stewart's), and while it's churning away, reduce 1/2 cup of 3 Year balsamic by half. When the ice cream is ready, churn for a few more seconds while drizzling in the balsamic syrup. Freeze until set and enjoy with strawberries tossed with a little more balsamic.  
• OLD: Chicken Livers with Balsamic and Apricots - this is a simplified version of a Mario Batali recipe. Simply dredge in flour and pan-fry chicken livers in olive oil until cooked through. Set aside and in the same pan, cook down a diced onion and a handful of chopped dried apricots. When soft, deglaze with balsamic and add a few tablespoons of butter. Return the livers to the pan and toss to coat. Serve warm over sturdy greens like endive or radicchio. 

$6 off each bottle, $53 off each case!

Lovers of Baroque architecture will likely know the Sicilian town of Noto in the province of Syracuse. This small town is home to no fewer than 30 incredible churches from the period.

Just outside of the town lies the estate of the Mazzei family. They came to Sicily from Tuscany, where they produce incredible wine and an olive oil whose production is so small it never leaves Italy! Their goal was to take what they'd learned in Tuscany and produce a unique Sicilian extra virgin olive oil. And they have done just that in the few years they've produced Zisola.

The 2010 harvest was a late arrival to our warehouse. Since it's a relatively new olive oil for us at Market Hall Foods, we've worked with the producer to offer it to our subscribers at a special price for a short time. We're sure that once you taste it, you'll be hooked!

They've produced a lovely oil this year. The aroma out of the bottle is like biting into a crisp green apple - sweet, aromatic and fresh. The flavor is fruity but quite rich and almost buttery.

As heirloom tomatoes finally begin showing up in the markets, it's all we can do not to eat them every day. Armed with an oil like Zisola, resistance becomes futile. A thick slice of bread, a thick slice of tomato, a few sprigs of basil, a shower of sea salt and a drizzle of oil. We call that breakfast, lunch and dinner.  

Order the 2010 harvest of Zisola now for this amazing price