Not so Free

After much exhausting noshing, the Freebie Project is finally done. I finished my research at A Southern Season today. The gourmet market is a place that prides itself on providing samples and allowing customers to try new products.

One marketing person told me that within reason, if you ask to try an item, they're happy to pull something off the shelf. This came to fruition today when I asked about a really, really expensive bottle of 100-year-old Acetaia Leonardi balsamic vinegar I'd heard they carry.

I inquired about the uber-expensive vinegar and the saleswoman took it down from the shelf and out of its sarcophagus-like wooden crate. While she declined to crack open the relic of a bottle, she did offer a sample of $150 F. Estense Extra Vecchi Traditional Balsamico instead. Now that's Southern hospitality.

I declined, though. I don't want my taste buds getting spoiled and rejecting the $4.50 balsamic in my cupboard.