From truffle mayonnaise options to inventive hot sauce flavor combinations, the condiment aisle is rich with choices if you’re looking to elevate your food with the squeeze of a bottle. And while Balsamic Vinegar is a darling of chefs who love adding acidity to a dish to brighten its flavor, it can be a little intimidating to home cooks who often relegate it as the base for a vinaigrette or marinade.
But fear not because Ponti, the Italian vinegar brand, wants to be in your pantry and on your table. In fact, it wants to be the glaze on your pizza, the dipping sauce for your sushi, the drizzle on your gelato, the burst of flavor in your drink, while still being the vinegar in your salad bowl.
Boasting an impressive 230 years of expertise and nine generations of dedication to the art of vinegar making, the name “Ponti” in Italy is interchangeable with the word “vinegar,” explains Kim Sayid, Italian Cuisine Expert and Ponti Country Manager.
Their Balsamic Vinegar of Modena P.G.I., which commands 46% market share of sales in Italy and is served at tables the world over, is an aromatic, syrupy concoction that coats your tastebuds, revealing sweet and tart notes, that complement, rather than overpower, each other. Ponti's line of Chefs Glazes are a tasty, easier-to-use alternative with a variety of flavors.
The classic option, made with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena P.G.I., is a fragrant glaze in an easy-to-squeeze bottle, rich and luscious, with low acidity and sweet and sour notes. Chef Tony Gemignani, 13-time World Pizza Campion, is an avid user of Ponti’s glazes, drizzling them on pizzas at all his restaurants. One of the hottest pizza trends, a kiss of glaze can elevate your pizza game at home, too, adding a layer of flavor and brightness, whether ordering takeout or making the doughy delicacy from scratch. It also is a great finishing touch on avocado toast, pasta, risotto, and sweet summer strawberries, and since it comes in a squeezable bottle with an opening fine enough that you can “write” with, it also means you can control the amount you pour, to satisfy varying levels of desire for the syrupy condiment.
Ponti’s Soy Glaze, a fusion of two iconic Asian and Italian flavors, blends soy sauce and balsamic vinegar of Modena P.G.I., yielding a glaze that’s tangy yet creamy, and delicious on sushi or as a dipping sauce for tempura or simply sprinkled on your favorite vegetable.
Transcending savory applications, Ponti’s products work well on dessert, too. The Fig Glaze, also made with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena P.G.I., mingles fig puree and grape must, resulting in a sweet and fruity taste that’s perfect to slather on fresh cheese but also to pour on gelato or even cocktails.
Part of the “Rich and Creamy” line, the Cherry Condiment, a product of black cherry juice, apple cider vinegar, and grape must, works on everything, but especially sweets. I love dressing it on gelato, but it’s also delicious on yogurt with granola as the sweetness from the cooked cherry juice resembles a cherry jam while the acidity from the vinegar cuts through the yogurt fat, lightening the dish. It’s also a delicious and healthy burst of flavor in a glass of iced sparkling water on a hot summer day or to spice up your favorite cocktail.
Since the glazes, and vinegar in general, have a long shelf life, it’s easy to keep several flavor variations in hand without breaking the bank, experiencing one of the great brands of the “Made in Italy” in the comfort of your home.
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