Friday, December 14, 2012

Basalmic Vinegar Tastings with Pete Marczyk

Balsamic Vinegar is a centuries old condiment with strict protocols around what can be considered 100, 30, 15, and 10 year products. There is seldom an opportunity to taste different “vintages” side by side, but here’s your chance!

When and Where: Saturday, 12/15, 3:00pm-5:00pm at Colfax and Fairfax.

Marczyk 2-year aged Balsamic. Start here. Great flavor for salads or as a finishing sauce. If a recipe calls for Balsamic reduction, here’s your vinegar. $13.99.

Saba. Acetaia Leonardi's Saba is unique. The family's Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes are grown and gently crushed. The juice and pulp is coarsely filtered and the mosto (mash) is cooked (cotto) in an open copper vat. The concentrated mosto cotto is then cooled and placed in large oak casks. The Saba will stay in the casks for almost 4 years, giving a deep complexity to the Saba, without converting it to vinegar. The fruity character of Saba makes it an ideal addition to cheesecake, ice cream, fresh fruit and even panna cotta. $24.99.

Riserva di Famiglia Condimento Balsamico 15 year. Young, lean, straightforward.
Riserva di Famiglia (Family Reserve) is the Leonardi's family Balsamico. Aromas of tea and notes of sarsaparilla and sassafras reminiscent of artisan root beer. Coffee and bitter chocolate undertones. More acidic than any traditional balsamic of similar age, but purposely so. Younger, leaner and more straight-forward, this balsamic can enliven any pork chop, pork roast, flank steaks and glazes. The perfect condiment for plated salads with gorgonzola or sharp cheeses. $79.99.

L’Eccellenza Condimento Balsamico 20 year. Syrupy as a chocolate sauce!  Shades of brown with bright mirror reflections. Aromas of grapes, apples and caramel with a well-balanced hint of wild flower honey and maple syrup. Rich and vibrant on the tongue with a sudden lively finish and evolving caramel flavors of raisins and fresh cherries. Enjoy it in its purest form on top of beef Carpaccio, or as a finishing touch to charcoal grilled fillet mignon. Particularly suited to drizzle over a baked pear or grilled apples. $109.00.

Marczyk’s on Colfax

Almost due east of Marczyk Fine Foods, Marczyk Fine Foods on the Fax has opened at the corner of Colfax and Fairfax. Located in the old Ace Hardware building, which was originally a Safeway, Marczyk’s on Colfax features a full service deli, meat and seafood counter, fresh produce, pantry items, dairy, and cheeses from stinky to mild. Fairfax Wines and Spirits occupies 875 sq. ft. of the new building.
The facts on Marczyk’s on the ‘Fax:
Address
5100 E Colfax. Corner of Colfax and Fairfax.
Denver, CO 80220
Phone: 303 243-3355
History
Built in 1925 as a Safeway Grocery. Among other uses, it has been a hardware store since 1980.
Points of Interest
Fairfax Wine and Spirits, an 875 sq ft wine shop adjacent to the food store, sells great value wines from small producers.
There’s a kitchen, outdoor seating, and 19 parking spaces.
A beautiful wooden bow truss ceiling spans the entire space.
The pristine oak floors found under the old linoleum floor have been repurposed for the wine store.

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