True Balsamic Vinegar is only made in Modena Italy, using traditional methods. Its only ingredient is grape must (whole pressed grapes complete with juice, skin, seeds and stems) which is cooked over a direct flame until concentrated by roughly half. It is then left to naturally ferment for up to 3 weeks and further concentrated for a minimum of 12 years. The flavour of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar is one of rich, complex sweetness with notes of cherry, fig and prune and mellow tartness, due to the ageing barrels. It is also a DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) which is a European Union certification that guarantees an ingredient's quality, production and place of origin!  

Proper panettone is beautifully soft, flavourful and always made from butter. Cheap, imported panettone is  made using margarine. In Italy, they take the butter thing so seriously it is actually illegal to sell panettone made with margarine, so it is exported.  Always check the ingredients when picking a panettone and if you are still not sure...the good old taste test should settle it.    

The long and short of it is - they reduce the amount of enzymes your body takes to break the nuts down.  Raw nuts are full of enzyme inhibitors that slow down the digestive tract, which can lead to all sorts of issues (bloating, stomach cramps etc). If you soak the nut, the enzyme inhibitor is released and its nutrients are more easily absorbed. To activate your nuts, soak in water overnight and either dry them out in the sun or in the oven for 24 hours.