Heinz launches tomato ketchup with balsamic vinegar!

Gourmet food lovers, here’s something that comes as a little bit of a surprise: Heinz has just launched its new and limited edition tomato ketchup with Balsamic vinegar!

Normally, Heinz’s tomato ketchup is made with white vinegar but its research and development team is trying out a new, kicked-up, albeit gourmet version using balsamic vinegar.

The addition of the balsamic vinegar makes the normally bright red – if one can borrow the term “tomato red” ketchup – somewhat darker, which might seem a bit daunting to ketchup connoisseurs.

Taste tests by those who have been lucky to get their hands on them prior to the official product launch, revealed that the unusual tomato sauce has a more “sophisticated” flavor with a certain “depth” to it.

Though balsamic vinegar tends to be sweeter and less tart than normal white vinegar, the tasters also concluded that the balsamic ketchup is considerably tangier and has an umami element to it!

Umami is difficult to describe but it can be characterized by that certain pleasant mustiness that mushrooms, fermented and aged products such as cheeses and soy sauce have.

Heinz reportedly will not be advertising the new tomato ketchup but are making it available from November 14 through their Facebook page, prior to its official product launch in stores in December at a suggested retail price of $2.49.

From then on, whether the balsamic ketchup becomes part of Heinz’s repertoire depends on how well it’s received by the public.

I don’t know about you but I’m game to try it even though the price is a little bit higher than what I normally pay for the humble, all-American tomato ketchup!