THE FEAST part 1~ Getting my reduction on...

The other day I spent most the afternoon preparing a feast of sorts for my little family and a few friends! It was really fun to make so many different elements of the meal from scratch. Its not very often that I get to bake and cook in the same day. Usually my little kiddos make that a literal impossibility, yet I accomplished it! I felt a little like a superhero in my own home. I actually kept my kids alive (and happy) ran errands, took Elena to dance, got Lincoln down for naps, worked on potty training Kuzko AND made a bunch of food. How you ask? I'm still not sure..... IT JUST HAPPENED! I guess you really can accomplish a lot if you don't ever sit down and rest in a day. I'm not suggesting that you all do this, since I am a staunch supporter of not overdoing it and wearing yourself out. But it sure was fun.

Because it would be the world longest blog post on earth if I wrote about everything I made that day in one post I am going to break it up into a few different ones. So here is THE FEAST post #1. We are going to start with reducing your balsamic vinegar. My husband and I have talked about doing this a million times, and for some reason it seemed like a hard thing. I'm not sure why, because it is so easy! Literally all you have to do is boil your balsamic vinegar, add sugar and let it reduce. Bam. Done. Of course if you are like me and think its a good idea to reduce 12 cups of vinegar starting at 9pm then that's an entirely different deal. I still get a chuckle out of that evening. Usually human beings reduce a few cups at a time and use it that day. Not me..... Ha Ha Ha. Well lets just say my entire house smelled so strongly of vinegar that I had every window and door propped wide open the entire time and it didn't even seem to help the smell. I'm pretty sure you need a commercial hood to vent such an undertaking. :)

So here's the deal. It is possible to reduce 12 cups. I just don't recommend it to you. It was time consuming and super smelly. But I am in love with the quart and a half of balsamic reduction I got out of it. Its amazing. I'm addicted. I am going to give you a much smaller quantity to reduce in my recipe and you can let your own conscience be your guide. 

Lets get going!

First get some good quality balsamic vinegar. I used Antiqua Vinegar Of Modena thanks to my awesome husband who brought some (when I mean some I mean 1.3 gal) home from work for me. Yeah buddy.

Like I said I did 12 cups worth, but I would suggest doing 2 cups at a time for your average use.

Add the two cups to a stock pot and bring it to a boil on high. Once it gets to a rolling boil add about 1/4 cup sugar. This leaves your reduction on the more mild and authentic balsamic flavor side. If you want a sweeter reduction up your sugar to 1/2 cup if you like. Now reduce the temperature to medium to medium-high. You want it to continue boiling, but not boiling over. Continue to stir often.

Let it boil down until it is 50-75 percent reduced. I wanted a lighter reduction so I went for a little over 50 percent reduced. If you want a thicker consistency boil it a little longer. It should only take somewhere around 15-20 minutes to reach the correct consistency.

Now you have some heavenly rich balsamic reduction to add a punch of flavor to so many different things! I used mine on some crispy roasted brussel sprouts. It would be great in salads, over any roasted vegetables, over ice cream and fresh fruit. The possibilities are endless and oh so good. I can't wait to use mine on many dishes in the future! Nom nom.

I hope this has altered your view (or fears) on making a balsamic reduction of your own. It really is easy peasy. And totally worth the 20 minutes! Have fun!

CLICK ON THE RECIPE TO VIEW AN ENLARGED PRINTABLE PDF