Saba was the common sweetener in Italy 500 years ago. Times change. Today, sugar is cheap and saba is rare and more expensive, left to be the sweetener of choice for Italian aficionados and those who want more complex flavor than what you find in simple syrups. Normally, saba would be made from grape must. If you were to stop the making of traditional balsamics just before it turns into vinegar, you’d get this wonderfully dense and delicious syrup. This one, however is not made from trebbiano grape must, but from apple must. The reason for shucking tradition? The maker, Marino Tintori, said it was simply taste. This saba comes from the same producer that provides us with our 6, 8, 10, 20, and 30 year balsamics; he’s very familiar with traditional grape balsamics. In his words: “the grape must saba is too sharp” and he doesn’t like it! This apple saba is very well balanced, he prefers it. We like it, too.

For a treat, mix it with fresh ricotta and bake it for 30 minutes at 350°F. Use saba to top off pancakes or crèpes. Add some saba to yogurt along with toasted walnuts. Pour it over the best vanilla ice cream you can find.