Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar

I've been meaning to post about this, but haven't gotten around to it, yet.  Since I don't always take pictures of what I make because it takes time and forethought I decided I would also try to talk about interested food products or food related items that I come across.  The first up is garlic white balsamic vinegar which is AMAZING.

While visiting a friend in NY I found myself at the Chelsea Market which I came across completely by accident while I wandered around the city.  The Chelsea Market is a really interesting space that was apparently the National Biscuit Company in the Meat Packing district of NY.  It's full of great old brick and iron pipes and creaky, rich brown wooden floors.  The bottom level is the market that boasts more than 35 different vendors and food purveyors and the upper levels of the building house corporate offices.  The Market is also right under the High Line park space that is a stretch of converted train tracks by the water.  From the High Line you get great views, lots of wind, and a place to feel away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  But, back to the original purpose of mentioning these places.  Vinegar.  

At the Chelsea Market there was an oil and vinegar and salt place call The Filling Station where you could taste what they had different flavored vinegars and oils"on tap" to taste as well as salt samples. They then had pre measured bottles that you could take home.  It reminded me of a place that my mom bought some Christmas presents, but in the Bay Area shop you could grab a bottle and bottle your own!  They had a lot of fun flavors, but because the staff seemed to care less if you bought anything I didn't stay long.   

I was surprised when I passed through the Reading Terminal Market with my friend in Philadelphia and we saw another such place full of tasty oils and vinegars.  This one was called The Tubby Olive and also had an excellent selection of flavors and little gift packs, but their vinegars were a little thinner that what I had in mind for a rich, syrupy balsamic and I couldn't quite find an olive oil that suited my fancy.

This olive oil and vinegar "Tap room" idea is definitely trending right now because I came across a third(!) vendor while perusing the Philadelphia Italian Market one weekend.  This is where Pollo convinced me to actually buy a delicious vinegar.  Cardenas Taproom is light and airy and has tasty bread for sampling all the different oils and vinegars.  The people who work there are friendly and the have the tastiest balsamic vinegar.  Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar.  It is soooo delicious.  The vinegar is syrupy and runs like oil and the garlic tastes fresh, but not sharp and creates an amazing partner for the sweet balsamic.  I knew that using just balsamic vinegar on salads was an excellent idea, but using this garlic vinegar on salads is an outstanding idea.  It can make a garden salad think it is fit to be served in some cute/hipster outdoor cafe.  We have put it on strawberry salad and roasted vegetable salad and just plain salad and if you use it you need nothing else.  Get some.  It's divine.