Ina Garten's Favorite Balsamic Vinegar Makes Strawberries Taste Gourmet

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Balsamic vinegar makes for a flavorful addition to a variety of dishes, whether you drizzle it over burrata-stuffed tomatoes or use it to make a punchy glaze for chicken, steak, or pork tenderloin. It's sweet, tangy flavor profile is also great for enhancing different kinds of salads. Some enjoy just pairing it with olive oil and dipping bread into the mixture (a simple-yet-sophisticated treat). It's no wonder Ina Garten is a fan. The prolific cookbook author actually keeps Fini balsamic vinegar in her pantry at all times.

Fini is a renowned brand that launched in 1912, when Telesforo Fini began producing balsamic vinegar in the back of the store he founded. Sourced from Modena, Italy, it's aged for 12 months to achieve the perfect flavor. It's described as not being super-sweet or syrupy. An 8.45-ounce bottle of Fini balsamic vinegar costs about $15 and should last you a bit — unless you're pouring it on everything (we're not judging). Fun fact: Balsamic vinegar is commonly referred to as "black gold" in Modena.

Want to jazz up a basic meal? Balsamic vinegar is an excellent way to do so. Ina Garten has been known to use it in a number of recipes, including three with strawberries as a key ingredient. She incorporates it into her "Very Berry" fruit salad (consisting of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries) and into a dessert served with vanilla ice cream. Her panna cotta with balsamic strawberries is also a popular dish.

On the savory front, Garten has made broccolini topped with a balsamic vinegar dressing (which is not the same as balsamic vinaigrette). She's also added it to roasted peppers and brussels sprouts with pancetta. The latter is a pretty popular recipe of hers that you can find all over the internet. In terms of leafy salads, you might try her balsamic roasted beet salad with toasted almonds and goat cheese.