That’s Amaro: One Man’s Love Affair With Bitter Liqueurs

Let us not forget the Hungarian Zwack Unicum or the seldom found Ramazotti menta. Not much better to relax with after a filling meal.

i too have developed an enthusiastic appreciation for amari over the past few years and read this NYT piece happy for any new information. i tried San Simone amaro, at the recommendation of our waitress, at a wonderful restaurant in Torino and was blown away. i foolishly thought that i could pick up a bottle back in the states or even at duty-free on my way home. that was a mistake i only made once--on my next visit to italy i bought several bottles to bring home for gifts and personal use! if you come across it, i really recommend it. it's in the taste family as Nonino but a bit fuller.

As k the bartender (aka, mixologist) to set up an amari flight, maybe five "tastes," lots of fun and the bartenders love to display their skills.

Part of the fun of traveling is finding things you may not ever see here in the US. I had an amaro in Alba, Italy in the Piedmont at a restaurant called La Libera called amaro Sibilla. It tasted like a forest floor in the fall. I was able to get it from in importer here in Boston. The bottle didn't last long.

Let's not forget Gammel Dansk Bitter Dram. The great medicinal bitters from Denmark. It is not the cure for the common cold, but it is close. The new owners have promised me that they will arrange for USA distribution soon. In the mean time they suggest I simply fly to a Scandinavian country, and buy it in the airport. Danish humor.

It may sound counterintuitive, but adding a pinch of kosher salt to the Bitter Giuseppe adds a wonderful mouthfeel that is quite unique! Give it a try-

Mr. Parsons deserves a hearty thanks for writing this book. Many of us have wondered about the provenance of these bottles, how are they made, and their invention or serendipity.

To be quite honest, I had never heard of a Mexican fernet. But in my woolgathering I have often gazed upon the Sonoran springtime, and mused, "There must be something out there that could be turned into a bottle of booze."

Campari settles my stomach. Neat, on ice, or mixed with soda is a sure fire hangover remedy, for me, anyway.

Great time to explore beyond my usual collection of Unterberg, Angostura, Fernet Branca, and Campari (although most people still ask, "what IS that?!?"). I'd heard of the "Bitters" book; now I need to read "Amaro," too! (Jaegermeister is for kids. And mixing it with Red Bull? Gateway.)

The best Amaro I've sipped was homemade using fennel and walnuts. The spirit was served at a small, actually the only trattoria, in the hill town of Pogerola, Italy, across a deep rocky valley from Revello and about 4K up a twisting single lane road from Amalfi. It was brilliant green and amazing in nose and taste.

I can't wait to get this book. There is an important distinction when discussing Amari. Campari and Aperil, are more appropriately called "aperitivi", or to consumed prior to eating. While, many of the other amari mentioned would be considered "digestivi", or a drink that aids in digestion after a meal. This distinction gets to the heart of Italian culture surrounding how to properly enjoy and structure a great pranzo or cena.