Mutti Triple-Concentrated Tomato Paste (2-Pack)
Mutti Tomato Paste is tomato paste as it was originally intended. Traditionally, this ingredient was made by drying tomato sauce on wooden boards in the sun; likewise, Mutti's modern version has a sun-dried flavor and caramelized richness reminiscent of molasses. Yet the tomato paste is not overly sweet—as tomatoes cook, their amino acids break down, which produces savory umami compounds. And unlike most tubed tomato pastes which are double-concentrated, this version is triple-concentrated, so a little goes a long way. We far prefer it to other tomato pastes in tubes, not to mention canned varieties that inevitably have a metallic taste from reacting with acidic tomato juice.
Mutti Tomato Ketchup
Most ketchup is watered-down and overly sweet from corn syrup. Not so with Mutti's product, which has a full tomato taste because it's made from concentrated tomato paste instead of puree. The ketchup also has a wonderful balance of flavors: robust and savory with a touch of spice. We like that Mutti makes this condiment with wine vinegar, which adds dimension and offsets tomatoes' ripe sweetness.
Pojer and Sandri White Wine Vinegar
We love this white wine vinegar for its sweet aroma and bright acidity. The light, bright flavor and pleasant minerality of this white wine vinegar is best highlighted in a crisp vinaigrette, or you can use to quick-pickle vegetables, as in our Herbed Egg Salad with Pickled Red Onion, inspired by a cooking lesson from Deborah Madison.
Acetaia Leonardi White Balsamic Vinegar
This white balsamic from Acetaia Leonardi is aged for eight years in oak barrels, so its flavor is exceptionally smooth and rounded. We like its honeyed fruit undertones and full-bodied consistency, which comes from the aging process and is a key indicator of a vinegar's quality. The family producer has been making vinegar since 1871 and is one of the last in Modena, Italy, to grow the same grapes that they use to make their vinegar. Try using this vinegar for brightness in our White Balsamic and Tarragon Chicken or Belgian Mashed Potatoes with Winter Vegetables (Stoemp); it will sharpen flavors and add dimension without calling too much attention to itself the way other vinegars do. Or drizzling it over roasted vegetables, such as in our Roasted Carrots with Balsamic Raisins and Pine Nuts or Slow-Roasted Tomatoes. We like to use a couple tablespoons to deglaze the pan after roasting meats, scraping up the browned bits and finishing with butter. White balsamic vinegar even plays a key role in our Harissa, for a mild acidity as a counterpoint for the earthy spices in the hot pepper paste.
Acetaia Leonardi Gold Medal Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP
The balsamic vinegar has an inky, almost syrupy consistency and is balanced between acidic and sweet, with a rich dried-fruit undertone. Quality this high is best enjoyed straight, drizzled over most any grilled or roasted meat, roasted vegetables, cheeses or garden-fresh tomatoes. Or try as a counterpoint to sweet berries or vanilla ice cream.