Timeless Taste: Original Balsamic Strawberries
Do you remember when and where you were the first time you tasted balsamic vinegar? It was nearly 41 years ago for me in early July 1984. I was a new sales associate at Williams-Sonoma's flagship store on Sutter Street in San Francisco, and Fini Balsamic Vinegar was the most popular food item in the shop.
There were two images we used at Williams-Sonoma again and again in our catalog during those early years. One was an avocado-half that was filled with vinegar shown with a spoon, and the other was a bowl of fresh strawberries—both so vivid in my mind that I could sketch them, and both so simple and delicious I can taste them.
As strawberries come into season my thoughts return to memories of that first "balsamic vinegar summer" and serve as the inspiration for sharing these strawberry recipes. These recipes are not complex and they're not original, however, they're simple, good, and run deep into the soul of how we cook, eat, and share what we love.
I've sourced and labeled my own balsamic vinegar for the past decade, and it's the single most popular thing in my shop. It's certified affinato grade with an exquisite acid/sugar balance and complexity only possible because the vinegar maker uses sangiovese and lambrusco along with the more simple and common trebbiano grapes typically on offer. As many of you already know, this traditional balsamic vinegar is plummy, honeyed, luscious, and exceptional.
Just a few tablespoons elevate strawberries and other fruit, and we hope you'll enjoy making and eating this as much as we have.
We enjoyed these compotes—one stove top version and the other simply macerated—on both genoise and ice cream over the past few days! Fabulous!
Timeless Taste: Original Balsamic Strawberries
A note on sugar: The amount of sugar we've used in this recipe is informed by the sugar content of our signature balsamic vinegar, which has 12 grams of sugar per serving (1 tablespoon). If you make this recipe using another brand, take a moment to read the nutritional facts panel to determine how you'll want to adjust the recipe. Our vinegar has a higher percentage of reduced grape must than most, in fact, I've encountered vinegars with half the sweetness at 6 or 7 grams and, astonishingly, more than a few top names offering as little as 3 or 4 grams of sugar per serving due to those other brands using a higher percentage of vinegar to grape must than my formulation.
Although we did not include black pepper in this compote recipe, it is a common addition, especially if you have a particular fondness for a peppery bite as a foil to this recipe's sweetness!
Ingredients
- 16 oz fresh strawberries
- 3 oz white granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
Directions
Wash and hull the strawberries.
Cut into quarters or smaller depending on the size of your fruit. Here we cut the regular size fruit into quarters and the larger berries into sixths.
In a bowl large enough for your fruit with room to mix the other two ingredients, add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir gently to keep the fruit intact.
Stove Top Method
After mixing all of the ingredients add them to a non-reactive saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the fruit gives off its juices. This will take about 5 minutes. Cool before storing in the refrigerator.
No Cook Method (Alternate)
Allow the fruit to macerate in the sugar and vinegar until they’re almost covered in their own juices, which should take about an hour. If you’re in no hurry you can let the fruit macerate for 24 hours for use the next day if you prefer. Longer maceration will yield softer fruit and more abundant strawberry balsamic juice.
