Making a Gastrique

A gastrique is a sweet and sour reduction made by cooking sugar or a sweet liquid like maple syrup with vinegar until it becomes a glossy, syrupy glaze. In the GBM kitchen it was made with equal parts maple and sherry vinegar. The sharpness cuts through richness, which is why gastriques pair so beautifully with duck, pork, beetroot, or roasted chestnuts. To make one at home, warm the sweet element gently, add the vinegar, and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. Balance is everything. Taste as it reduces, and stop when the sweet and sour sit in harmony.