Canada's insider blog

If you’ve been to Whistler you know it’s not a one-pony show, all skiing and nothing else.

There’s cycling, hiking, canoeing, swimming – and eating. Yes, Whistler is a foodie destination, thanks in part to the agricultural bounty of the Pemberton Valley (aka Spud Valley) just up the road.

So when Whistler chef Norm Strim tasted aged balsamic vinegar reduction on a trip to Italy he was hooked – and wanted to create his own.

He began experimenting, importing the best six-year-old balsamic vinegar from Modena. By tradition, this vinegar is made using the white, sweet Trebbiana grapes from the rolling hills of the province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Once Strim has the vinegar in his Whistler kitchen, he simmers it slowly for 10 to 12 hours while infusing it with fruits and herbs sourced, whenever possible, from organic farms in the Pemberton and Okanagan valleys.

The result is a velvety thick and flavourful reduction, “made with love”  and without any starches, gums or other thickeners. Nonna Pia’s Gourmet Balsamic Reduction is named for Strim’s mother, who first inspired him to cook.

So what do you do with it? It’s the secret to great barbecue sauce for one thing, but you can drizzle it on just about anything – pizza, pasta, salads, meats and fresh fruit. “It’s become my new ketchup,” says one fan.