Janelle Maiocco

Hi.

Welcome to my blog. I live in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle on an Urban Farm (w/ five laying hens and a huge garden). I am a trained chef (w/ a certificate in food preservation), taught at a cooking school & like to share 'kitchen hacks' - culinary tips that save time, money & maximize flavor. If that isn't enough, I also run a food+tech startup called Barn2Door.com - a platform to help everyone easily find & buy food directly from farmers, fishers & ranchers (from CSA's to urban farm eggs to 1/2 a grass-fed cow).

Try this: Prima Glassa Balsamica Glaze

Try this: Prima Glassa Balsamica Glaze

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I ran across this product, purchasing it on a whim. I gave it a good, hard stare: I have high hopes for you. It is not easy to impress me with a condiment. Most bottled salad dressings pale in comparison to those made from home. A jar of kalamata spread can be made on the spot at home, just by blending kalamata olives with some olive oil, a pinch of salt and maybe some stray seasonings.

A few times in this past year, I have had the pleasure of enjoying a reduced balsamic glaze, often paired with a stand alone wedge of cheese.

I even reduced balsamic myself, half a cup or so, in a sautee pan on barely a simmer. It is a rewarding accompaniment.

So when I saw this little bottle, I had been primed with good syrup-y balsamic experiences. Not least of which was a dinner over a year ago at Seattle's restaurant: CRUSH. Now there is a cheese plate to entertain.

This little balsamic glaze and I are now friends. I just bought my second bottle---which is a high bar to clear---as one can only enjoy so many condiments at a time.

I have used this Prima Glassa Balsamica GLAZE to:

1. Dress up a salad, by mixing it with olive oil

2. Add a depth of flavor to a humble sandwich. BIG accolades from the family: all of a sudden, my son has a new favorite sandwich. The secret really is in the sauce.

3. Add a fancy, zig-zag squirt under---you guessed it---a wedge of cheese.

4. Add a fancy, zig-zag squirt (a rewarding culinary motion) over grilled portabella mushrooms. Winning combo.

Now that I have invested in bottle #2, I will likely try it on top of a pasta salad, on grilled potatoes, and on countless sandwiches. If you see it on a shelf, consider trying it. The squirting in zig-zag form alone is a delight. And what is not to love about balsamic? I have always loved balsamic vinegar, and somehow this happy little glaze makes it more accessible.

Sometimes we are crabby.

Sometimes we are crabby.

a good rub.

a good rub.