We all know balsamic vinegar as that magic potion that adds flavor without fat to lettuce. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

A few drops of the elixir perk up everything from the classic tomato, mozzarella and basil salad to steamed veggies, caramelized onions, sauteed chicken and meat, even french fries.

It’s a traditional topper for strawberries and melon. And a dash after cooking makes sauces, soups and stews more alluring.

The deep brown artisanal syrup from Modena and Reggio in Italy is cooked from the unfermented juice of white Trebbiano grapes, then aged in smaller and smaller casks of different woods for at least 12 years. It’s powerfully flavored – and powerfully expensive.

To coax more intensity from the much cheaper commercial product, it can be cooked until reduced by half or more. Food experts also mix a tablespoon of honey with a cup of balsamic vinegar before cooking it down over medium-high heat. Others add a healthy pinch of dark brown sugar to a tablespoon of the lesser stuff without cooking it.