The Ingredient I Can’t Stop Using—Balsamic Vinegar
Lately, I’ve been putting it on everything—salads, roasted vegetables, leftover chicken, even a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
And yes, I know how that sounds. But balsamic vinegar is my current new thing. It adds acid, a little sweetness, and just enough color to make a dish feel finished.
It started simple: a splash on tomatoes. Then it turned into a glaze. Then a marinade for chicken. Then I got bold and drizzled it over freshly sliced strawberries—and finally, onto vanilla ice cream.
And it worked. Mostly.
Balsamic is More Than Just Flavor
Sometimes the ingredient you keep reaching for isn’t just about taste. It’s about the feeling that you know what you’re doing in the kitchen. Even if the bottle slips and you drown your lunch (which happened—twice—sorry cucumber salad).
That’s the funny thing about acid: it doesn’t just brighten food, it gives you confidence. It makes a pile of fridge scraps look intentional. Dressed up with a drizzle and a shrug, dinner suddenly feels like a decision instead of a default. I wrote about this before in why acid changes everything.
Will I Back Off? Probably Not.
I should probably take a break from balsamic. But I won’t. Not yet.
Because every so often, an ingredient sneaks in, takes over, and teaches you something new. And right now, balsamic vinegar has the floor.
