Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/637107
The Cru Artisan College Study Guide 15 The Product at Hand Amaro (Italian for "bitter") is an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly drunk as an after- dinner digestif. It usually has a bitter-sweet flavor, with an alcohol content between 9% and 40%, and is so seriously considered in Italian culture to be an aid in digestion that the U.S. government permitted its distribution for pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes during Prohibition. Similar liqueurs have traditionally been produced throughout Europe. There are traditional local varieties in Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, France, and in South America as well, but the term amaro is generally applied only to Italian products of this kind. Amaro is typically pro- duced by macerating herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and/or citrus peels in alcohol, either neutral spirits or wine, mixing the filtrate with sugar syrup, and allowing the mixture to age in casks or bottles. Dozens of varieties are commercially produced, and many commercial bottlers trace their recipe or production to the 19th century or before. Recipes often originated in mon- asteries as a method of preserving precious medicinal herbs. Amaro is typically drunk neat, sometimes with a citrus wedge. It may also be drunk on ice, with tonic water, or even used as an ingredient in cocktails. Amaro is flavored with several herbs and roots, and many producers closely guard their exact recipe, the most typical include gentian, angelica, cardoon, cinchona (china), lemon balm (melissa), lemon verbena (cedrina), juniper, anise, fennel, zedoary, ginger, mint, thyme, sage, bay laurel, citrus peels, licorice, cinnamon, menthol, cardamom, saffron, rue (ruta), worm- wood (assenzio), and elderflowers (sambuco). Amaro is generally produced in three styles: Medium, with an even balance between bit- ter, sweet, and citrus tastes; Fernet, which is more sharply bitter than other amari; and Light, which is lighter in color than others and usually has more citrus notes. There are also amari flavored with "Alpine" herbs, sometimes with a smoky taste, typically lower in alcohol content, and amari made with artichoke, truffles, quinine, rhubarb, honey, or fennel. Sicily Corsica Sardinia Crete M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e a Rome Split Dubrovnik Algiers Marseille Nice Genoa Tripoli Benghazi Tunis Athens Istanbul Cantine Florio Winery 0 50 100 150 200 miles FERNET FLORIO Region: Sicily Crafted from a number of herbs and spices, including aloe, cardamom, myrrh, cinnamon, saffron and mint. Spices are infused with water and alcohol and macerated for two weeks, achieving an aromatic harmony. After maceration, the redolent infusion is blended then then aged for a few weeks to form the perfect union: Fernet Florio. Tasting Notes: Color: Amber. Bouquet: Perfume redolent of herbs, roots, rhubarb, cinchona, aloe, saffron and chamomile. Taste: Mint, licorice and herbal notes stand out. Alcohol Content: 35%. COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES AND FERNET FINISH Everybody gets an "F"—for Fernet Florio —as we gather our diplomas and raise a bitters toast to a sweet day together. A l o e M i nt R h u b a r b C h a m o m il e Fe n n e l S a ff r o n C i n n a m o n Car d a m o m Florio Fernet is born in Sicily in the heart of the area known as the "Sun Belt."