What is Balsamic Vinegar?

Balsamic Vinegar is essentially grape juice that has been slow-cooked over an open flame and then barrel-aged. During the cooking process, the sugar in the juice caramelizes and that is why balsamic is dark. Imitation vinegar’s are made from distilled rice or wine vinegar and are very pungent and sharp to the taste. They also add caramel coloring, thickeners and flavoring to resemble authentic balsamic.

The reasons why true balsamic vinegar is so expensive are : 1) Usually, the Consorzio approved balsamics come into the country already labeled, so the tax on these products is usually 100% of the value. A Consorzio approved balsamic is a vinegar that has gone through a rigorous tasting panel of state experts that will approve or disapprove a vinegar. If they approve your balsamic, then you are basically thrown into another higher quality category that allows you to charge much more for your vinegar if you are a producer. It is an honor to be approved by the consorzios (there are two of them in Italy, and they are a state-based program).

Our vinegar is of amazing quality. Compare our vinegar to any others on the market and you will find we are far superior. You can do this especially by taste, or by looking at the side of the bottle when you tip it. Our vinegar is so thick it leaves “legs" which is one of the main signs of an excellent quality vinegar. From the aging process, not thickeners like other brands use, it should be thick and coat the glass evenly. Thick and sweet, with no processed sugars, that is how we do it!

All of our NON-OIL based Balsamic Vinegar's are good for 2 years from the date of bottling with the exception of our Traditional Dark and our 25 Year Old White balsamic as they are good indefinitely. All of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Infused Olive Oils and Olive Oil based Vinaigrettes and Marinades/Dipping Oils should be good for 6 months to 1 year from the date of purchase depending on how they are stored. Olive oil is a natural product with no preservatives and is basically good for one year. If any of the oils turn cloudy that is a good indication that they are past their usable life.

Do we ship our Products?

YES: We ship all of our products via USPS Priority Mail. Please allow 7 to 10 business days for deliveries. Visit our online store at http://www.mamacelia.com 

What kind of olive oil do we use and where is our olive oil from?

Our Extra Virgin Olive Oils are from Central and Southern Spain. We are currently using oils comprised of Picual, Jojiblance and Arbequina olives. The reason we use these is, these are the best olives we have found and are proud to use and sell oil made from them. They are of the highest quality, flavor and freshness that we have found. Our 100% extra virgin olive oil is cold pressed. We are blessed to have found this wonderful array and variety. Our Infused Olive Oils are a mix of superior Extra Virgin and Premium Olive Oils from around the world. Unfortunately, here in Oregon, the moment we infuse our oils, they can no longer be labeled as an EVOO, even if that is what they are. Although that practice is not enforced, we have changed our labeling to reflect that Oregon law. Interesting fact: It takes 42 to 65 pounds of olives to make one gallon of extra virgin olive oil. Cool, huh?

Are these all original recipes?

All the blends that we offer are original recipes. We are hand making, hand bottling, hand labeling all these recipes ourselves in our own commercially licensed kitchen here in Bend Oregon. We are constantly trying new flavors, and changing our lineup, so visit us often!

What are our best sellers?

All of our varieties sell very well, but some of our most popular are:

Traditional Dark: Our 18 year old Barrel Aged Balsamic Vinegar. Our sister to the white balsamic vinegar, this elixir is best enjoyed over ice-cream, a bowl of fresh strawberries or aged cheeses~ For just a few ideas. Our traditional is as dark, thick and rich as it gets!

Traditional White: No "lengthening" here, this is straight out of the barrel with no gimmicks like most other brands! Like a traditional dark balsamic, this elixir is best enjoyed over ice-cream, a bowl of fresh strawberries or aged cheeses~ or anywhere that you do not want to discolor your food like a dark balsamic! This is truly a culinary delight and every cook deserves a quality white balsamic like this in their cupboard!

Parmesan Pesto Dipping Oil: The perfect finish to roasted broccolini, drizzle over pasta or eggplant, add it to mash potatoes or tater tots, great for popcorn, sliced tomatoes, or to make memorable croutons to top off your next casserole. Great dressing for all pastas, great with chicken and seafood!

The real answer is this, it does not matter what others like, everyone has a discriminate palate, so it is only the flavors that YOU like that matter! Visit us in person to try all the flavors that we have available, and see why our customers say "The Best Balsamic Vinegars On The Planet"!!!. 

Where do we sell our products?

We specialize in offering our products at temporary, retail-direct venues all around the country such as home shows, art shows, outdoor festivals and state fairs. We also sell online and enjoy and promote that process pretty aggressively. Our products are also available at specific retail establishments across the country. We like to sell at these types of venues because it allows us to be in business with smaller independent distributors as well as the bigger stores. We love that we are able to go into business with like-minded people all over the country and eventually the world, who want to take the next step in their lives and take control of their future. We are honored to be a part of these amazing peoples worlds and are extremely fortunate to have them be part of our Celia's family.

Are your products 100% Gluten-Free?

We at Celia’s are very proud to announce that our line of balsamic vinegar, Infused Olive Oils and EVOO products are 100% Gluten-Free with the one exception of our Mongolian stir fry sauce. We are the first company of our type to be able to say this and have worked very hard to be able to make this statement. We know how hard it is to find gluten-free products that are not only healthy, but delicious as well, and we think we have hit the mark!  AMAZING!

What is your salt content?

All of our Vinegars have a very minimal amount of natural occurring salt. Our infused Olive Oils and EVOO has no salt whatsoever. Most of our dipping oils however do contain a small amount of salt.