“Balsamic Vinegar” from Duhat Fruit!
A bottle of local “Balsamic Vinegar,” and apparently made from duhat fruit to boot…how’s that for a Marketman double take?!? I simply could not resist. I bought the bottle for PHP100 and hoped for the best. Traditional Italian balsamic vinegar is made from the must of grapes which are boiled down then concentrated further in a progression of different wood barrels which are subject to the extremes of summer heat and winter cold in and around Modena, Italy. Prior to the last 20 years or so, balsamic vinegar was considered a tonic, or a “balsam” for health reasons. It was sometimes imbibed in little glasses like a medicine or drizzled on food to enhance flavors. As its popularity grew and it became a “mainstream” vinegar, cheap “copies” or versions of it were mass produced in Italy, sometimes with a decent shadow of the original, or at worst, simply colored and sweetened wine vinegar… Nevertheless, I have NEVER seen the term applied to vinegars from outside Italy and I suppose there isn’t a patent on the term but it was a bit bizarre to see this dark vinegar from Ilocos labeled balsamic vinegar…
Back home, I opened the vinegar and it smelled curiously close to a cheap Italian Balsamic vinegar – somewhat fruity, sweetish and intense. However, it 
was incredibly watery and far more acidic. I was amazed that it was the result of fermenting duhat fruit and had it not taken on the “balsamic” label, which I consider partially fraudulent, I would have thought it a really cool vinegar in it’s own right. Anyone who has been under a duhat tree at the peak of its fruit bearing cycle can practically smell the fruit fermenting into vinegar… I haven’t tried this vinegar with too many foods yet but I suspect it would pair nicely with a grilled fish or other grilled meats. At just USD2 a bottle, it is certainly far cheaper than some of the most spectacular Italian aceto balsamico tradizionale that can run upwards of USD100 for a tiny bottle with perhaps a cup or two of syrupy liquid. But I really shouldn’t compare the two at all. Let’s just say the duhat vinegar was an interesting find. But it would be akin to saying my splatter acrylic canvases should share the same wall space as a stunning Jackson Pollack. This duhat vinegar will not share space with my real balsamics just yet… If you are interested, get some at the Ilocos stall at the first floor hallway of the Market!Market! Mall in Fort Bonifacio. Kudos to the manufacturers for the effort!
hmm. i usually take cheap balsamic and reduce/simmer it till get a slightly thicker consistency. the acid also mellows out. maybe a pinch of sugar if too acidic. an inexpensive way to get “mock balsamico”. i’m imagining the duhat variety should prolly produce a more fruity syrup and should also go well drizzled over some chunks of grana padano or strawberries!
October 26th, 2006Interesting. Does it taste like duhat at all?
BTW, A.G. Ferrari sells a 50-year-old balsamic that costs $349 for a 100ml bottle. :)
October 26th, 2006I wonder if boiling it down would improve it’s taste like it does with cheap balsamics from italy.
October 26th, 2006I cannot compare grapes to duhat. Both have their own distinguishing characteristics. Colorwise the Concord grapes have exactly the same color as the duhat. Perhaps reduction would improve the quality? I think this is a big step forward the so-called duhat balsamico suka to pave its way to homes and restaurants for its varietal use. It is still in its infancy but hope to evolve into a hot item soon that I am proud to call it our OWN.
October 27th, 2006I, too, wonder if it will thicken if reduced…will try it one day and let you know…
October 27th, 2006Kudos to the creators of the duhat vinegar. Maybe calling it balsamic was a bit too presumptuous. But the DO deserve our patronage for their efforts to globalize local products!
October 27th, 2006Might be good in adobo?
October 28th, 2006trishlovesbread, your idea to use it in adobo sounds good… I may give that a try one of these days…
October 28th, 2006Was in Market!MArket! this past weekend, and was looking for the duhat vinegar you were saying, found the kiosk (Near ForMe boutique) and was surprised to know, they were selling it at 180 instead of 100. they didnt have stock anymore but they pointed me to their other store outside in the produce area where they had 2 bottles left. saw it but the price was a bleeder especially if you got it at 100php only, (80 peso increase in 2 days??? Hot Daym!)
October 30th, 2006renelmac, hmmm, that doesn’t sound right. I am pretty sure I paid PHP100 a bottle, but then again, I also bought 5 bottles of another vinegar and maybe I am or they were confused…I can’t find my receipt to verify. Btw, I made an adobo with the duhat vinegar and it turned out superb…but not sure it would be worth PHP180 unless like me, you experiment more and more…
October 30th, 2006renelmac, OOPS, my mistake, seems I paid PHP100 per bottle for Arenga vinegar and possibly did pay PHP180 for the Duhat vinegar… I just saw the prices on the Arenga vinegar but the duhat bottle doesn’t have a price… SORRY for the confusion…
October 30th, 2006Where can I buy those cheap Balsamic Vinegar? Balsamic in the groceries are quite expensive. I wish this Duhat Vinegar will go back to it’s original price of P100.
October 31st, 2006Tupz, please read the post for where you can buy it. And it was my error, the price was PHP180 per bottle, not much cheaper than balsamic in the groceries…
October 31st, 2006I bought duhat wine from Manila airport last march but did not try yet!
November 1st, 2006I’m sorry but I mean the real Balsamic Vinegars. Where can I buy inexpensive balsamic vinegar? I need a lot of Balsamic Vinegar for Christmas.
Thanks.
November 2nd, 2006Tupz, you may want to try cash & carry or unimart or the new Price Smart when it opens Nov. 9, under new management…
November 2nd, 2006I tried the Duhat Vinegar and I don’t like the taste and aroma.
November 7th, 2006Tupz, try cooking with it.
November 7th, 2006MM… the duhat wine was not bad. Serve cold as a cocktail because it is a bit sweet…i think American consumer will love that for their cocktail party as thay are fond of sweet wine!
November 12th, 2006At least my husband had appreciate it this time!
interesting local vinegars
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=77440
July 19th, 2007May I ask Relly what brand of Duhat wine she got from the airport?
April 19th, 2008