Balsamic vinegar based yummy things. Obviously.
About a million years ago, way way back, when we were only foundation term students (pah! such novices!), a lovely company called Belazu came to see us. They came under some sort of illusion that we were accomplished chefs of some description, and so, they set us a challenge to invent recipes using their ingredients as “the star”. The prize for the best recipe….a trip to Spain to dance in the sunshine with olive growers and mince about olive groves and vineyards and stuff. (I imagine me in that film, you know the one with Keanu Reeves from the 90s, where he flaps about with wings romantically with some girl in a vineyard…)
Anyway. It only took me about 2 months to actually have a bash at it, and with deadline day but 2 days away (MY BIRTHDAY BY THE WAY), I had sufficient time pressure on me to actually do it.
So here it is…my Balsamic Aperitivo. That’s Italian, for pre-dinner drinks and is associated with the delightful ritual of going out for lovely food and wine. This guy explains it well here:
http://www.emikodavies.com/blog/italian-table-talk-the-aperitivo/
I decided that the Belazu Blasamic Vinegar is literally SO DELICIOUS I just wanted to drink it. So I put it in a cocktail. I then decided that that just wasn’t ENOUGH balsamic, so I made a plate full of little appetizers, canapés, hors d’oeuvres if you will. Consider it a little morsel of heaven in every bite….
Start with….
Prosecco, Balsamic Infused Strawberries, and Raspberry & Balsamic Puree.
Move on to a little bite of Freekah-cini. Think of those little risotto balls (arancini) but made with delicious ancient grain Freekah, mixed with some capers, basil, cheese and lemon, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried. DIP THEM in homemade balsamic mayonaise. SALIVATE. take another sip of delicious dry/sweet cocktail.
“Ooh…what’s that?” I hear you say, as you peer at the platter carefully. Well, that, dear friends, is a balsamic beef jerky strip. “WHAT?” you exclaim. “Have we just transported ourselves into that dingy, dank, dangerous pub by bottom of West Croydon station, with the wierdos hanging about and some guy call Trev munching on a packet of “beef” (probably dog) strips?”
No. We’ve marinated some lovely rump steak for a FULL 24 HOURS in beautiful sweet balsamic vinegar, some soy sauce, some other spices, then we’ve dried them in the oven with a clever wooden-spoon-wedged-in-the-door trick to create air flow, topped them with some Zatar and garlic and loveliness, and then munched them. A chewy, sweet, little bite of beef. It is yum. Trust me.
If that’s not your thing, (then stop reading here, you horrible person) then maybe the pork ribs, fennel & rosemary marinated and (of course) balsamic glazed, grilled and hot and tender and beautiful will tempt you. Its everything you think it will be….
Now, I know you’ve all fallen off your chairs with delight so far, but the main event, the BEST BIT is yet to come.
Take another sip. Sit down, hold your horses.
Balsamic Pickled Shallots and Homemade Goat Curd, sitting on top of lovely Rosemary & Sea Salt Olive Oil Crackers. OH. YES. This is one of those savoury/sweet/salty combos that makes your mouth explode. AND I got to make my own cheese for the very first time. WOOP!
Good Lord it is delicious. (I better flippin win….)
*my food photography skills are clearly rubbish. You’ll trust have to trust me that it looks good in real life! A girl can’t be good at everything.
Diary of a cheese tart 
I want you to live with us!! pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee…………………my mouth was dripping with yearning for the delicious sounding recipes using Belazu Balsamic vinegar!! (Just leave the pork out as it does not agree with my tum) .I have used the Belazu brand of olive oil………………yummy too!
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