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While everything written about Italian wine could fill one of Rome’s iconic libraries, Italy also pro-

duces another alcoholic drink with a niche all its own. With less fan-fare but no less distinction, Italian liqueurs have established a foothold in restaurants and bars, on dinner tables at home, and wherever else people have acquired a taste for palatable—and occasionally medici-nal—elixirs.

Liqueurs are alcoholic fluids formulated with a fusion of mostly natural ingredients that endow flavors and various alcohol levels. Additives are included to influence the taste of what are commonly known as spirits, cordials, bitters, and schnapps.

In Italian terms, they fit into two basic categories: aperitivo (perks up the appetite before a meal) and digestivo (aids digestion after a meal). Aperitivo is not a happy hour drink in the traditional sense. It is simply meant to whet the ap-

Italy ’s Salubrious Liqueurs

APERITIVIAperolWith an alcoholic content of only 11 percent, this reddish-orange spirit is one of the milder in the group. Made with bitter orange, rhubarb, and cinchona bark, it tastes and

smells like bittersweet Campari.

BelliniIntroduced in the 1940s at Harry’s Bar in Venice, this widely known cocktail combines peach pulp and sparkling Prosecco. It is usually served in a chilled Champagne glass, imparting a peachy pungency.

CAmpAriThis is the trademark name for a bittersweet beverage dating back to

the 1860s. It is red in color, assembled with herbs, quinine bark, and orange peel, and garnished with lemon twist. It also comes bottled with carbonated water.

DisAronnoThis was named Amaretto di Sononno before adopting the title Disaronno Originale for marketing and legal reasons. Introduced in 1525, the amber-colored drink consists of apricot oil, burnt sugar, and 17 herbs and fruit. Bottled in an oblong decanter, it can be served straight up, on the rocks, or mixed in a cocktail.

By ChuCk PECOrArO

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Aperitivi - Digestivi -

Saluti!

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petite in preparation for sumptuous dining. Digestivo is a somewhat curative drink that helps digest all that sumptuousness.

Liqueurs are as rich in history as they are in flavors. Recipes for them have been discovered in Egyptian tombs and on ancient Greek scrolls. But it was primarily the monks of Europe, particularly Italian monks, who first developed them as a way to infuse herbs for medicinal pur-poses during the 13th century.

Liqueurs played a major role in ancient cultures for both healing and socializing. In the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, dates were abundant and used to create beverages enjoyed by Arabian rulers and Egyptian pharaohs. Other cul-tures, such as Chinese and Viking, included rice and honey to sweeten their spirits. Meanwhile, the Greeks set an example for Romans to start producing their own concoctions. Thus it was in Italy that the creation and study of distillation initiated the flavoring of alcohol with herbs, spices, fruit, plants, flowers, roots, bark, and nuts to conceive curative elixirs.

During the Middle Ages, the distilling process was perfected and experiments resulted in combining alcohol with a potpourri of natural ingredients. The idea was not to create a social drink, but to intro-duce medication to cure assorted ailments. Holy Orders were one of the first to undertake the develop-ment of what was referred to as aqua vitae, or “water of life.” They believed it was their divine duty as “doctors” to heal the sick.

negroniIn Italy, this is regarded as a nonno (grandpa) drink. In the U.S., it has become hip with the younger generation who embrace its trifecta of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Though basically an aperitivo, it has evolved into a drink for any time of day.

proseCCoIt lacks the distinction of fine wine and elitism of Champagne, but is more than a carefree, inexpensive sparkler. Originating in northern Italy, it is processed from its namesake grape and balances the flavor and aroma of citrus and floral. It contains less alcohol than most white wine and has no yeasty aftertaste. It’s popular at holiday and celebratory occasions.

VermouthThis alliance of various wines is fortified with herbs, spices, fruit, seeds, roots, flowers, bark, and wormwood that sounds like an herbal train wreck. But the interplay of forceful flavors emerges earthy and spirited. With two distinct flavors—sweet and dry—it first appeared in China centuries ago as a proprietary medicine for intestinal disorders.

ZuCCALabeled with the Italian word for “squash,” this relatively light drink is 30 percent alcohol. Flavor is derived from zest, cardamom seeds, and therapeutic herbs that render it delicate and bittersweet. It is generally mixed with soda water and ice.

DIGESTIVIABsintheOriginating in Switzerland in the late 18th century, this anise-flavored drink is assembled with botanicals such as green anise, fennel, and assorted herbs. Classified as a high octane spirit, it packs up to 148-proof alcohol and is usually poured over crushed ice as a frappe.

AmArettoThe Italian translation of “a little bitter,” this almond-flavored liqueur has a base of apricot pits and/or almonds. It can be consumed by itself, mixed in cocktails, or as a stimulant in coffee.

AmAroGolden in color and adopting the Italian term for “bitter,” it comes together with unaged brandy fortified with distilled grapes and rounded out with oranges and herbs. The taste has been whimsically described as like that of cough syrup.

AnisetteThis anise-flavored potion is a mainstay in most Mediterranean countries. It is colorless and produced with licorice, root extracts, and aniseed. It also is frequently found in cookie recipes.

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The experimentation did not remain in monasteries very long. As the demand for these elixirs grew, alchemists began formulat-ing their own liqueurs with secret components, selling them in shops that became the early versions of modern pharmacies. When Cath-erine de Medici married King Henry II of France, she introduced Italian liqueurs to the French and they became fixtures in their culture. She helped popularize such drinks among the ruling elite of Europe, who often feasted on long, multi-course dinners, ideal for post-meal digestivi. Soon more liqueurs were invented, even by the royal courts themselves, as food poisoning be-came a common fear. During this period, liqueurs (and especially digestivi) started to make the transi-tion from medicinal to social.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several books were pub-lished on the subject of spirits and distillation, helping to further spread their popularity. Liqueurs be-came increasingly more fashionable in the late 19th century, in particular absinthe, a 79-proof wormwood-based spirit with hallucinogenic properties. Eventually the drink was deemed dangerous and banned in some countries.

During that same period, aperi-tivi and digestivi started to catch on in America. With more Italians im-migrating to the United States and the return of American soldiers who were stationed in Italy during World War II, the introduction and de-mand for Italian liqueurs expanded. In the 1960s, trendy liqueurs like Galliano and Tuaca, both favorites of U.S. war veterans, began appear-

BisCottiOriginating in northern Italy and introduced in the U.S. around 2006, this relative newbie is marketed as “liquid cannoli.” Named for the Italian word for cookies, it imparts the flavors of nuts, citrus, caramel, fennel, and—naturally—cookies.

FernetThis classic Italian bitter with digestive properties emerges from a mélange of herbs and spices. With its dark brown profile, unique aroma, and syrupy overtones, it is traced back to a 150-year-old family recipe.

FrAngeliCoRecognized by a trademark bottle shaped like a monk, it is named after a friar and made its debut in the 17th century. It blends toasted hazelnuts with expressions of vanilla, cocoa, and berries. In the U.S., it is often used to spike coffee.

gAlliAnoIdentified by a vivid yellow tint and tall, slender bottle, it is created from assorted herbs and spices like anise, vanilla, and licorice. Named after Italian war hero Maggiore Giuseppe Galliano, it originated in Italy around 1896.

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ing on retail shelves, in bars, and in homes across the country. Soon, other Italian liqueurs followed.

However, the flavors of these imports, served straight as a before or after-dinner potion, are still not a taste or cultural experience to which most Americans are accustomed. With such a wide variety of Italian li-queurs available in restaurants, bars, and stores, drinkers are encouraged to keep trying and testing to find those that best suit their palates. Unlike wine, these liqueurs are usu-ally not compatible with food pair-ings. Their true pleasure is that they offer a reason to start or conclude a pleasant meal with conversation and companionship in the company of family and friends.

Chuck Pecoraro (chuckpecoraro@sbcglobal.net) has written more than 1,500 restaurant reviews and articles on food, wine, and travel for the Chi-cago Sun-Times and other prominent publications and websites.

grAppAOnce perceived as a rugged, rustic 90-proof potion to keep farmers and outdoorsmen warm during winter, this “poor man’s brandy” is no longer your grandpa’s grappa. An updated version has expanded its appeal with refined techniques of distilling leftovers after grapes are pressed into wine. It is so ingrained in Italian culinary culture that there’s a museum dedicated to it in the town of Bassano del Grappa (Veneto region).

limonCelloThe old cliché “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade” is Italianized with “When Italy gives you lemons, you make Limoncello.” Made by steeping lemon rind in alcohol and sugary syrup, this chic elixir originated in Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where lush vineyards blossom with premium lemons. It tastes best when chilled, and is also available in an orange version.

mArAsChinoFlavored with cherry pits, it has a perfect balance of sweet and sour. Besides its dual personality as a cocktail mixer and after-dinner libation, it is frequently used to saturate ice cream and to augment other desserts with a tart cherry essence.

mirtoOranges from the island of Sardinia are what gives this libation its character. It comes across as sweet, herbal, and smooth with hints of gin and Fernet. Serve it chilled.

sAmBuCAElderberry, licorice, and anise are the key components of this drink commonly served con la mosca (with the fly) with three coffee beans floating on top to represent health, happiness, and prosperity. For dramatic effect, it is set afire so the beans roast and release an earthy fragrance. The clear liquid is often used to spike coffee.

stregAThe name translates into “witch,” considered appropriate due to its mysterious complexity of more than 70 herbs. Unveiled in 1860 with the help of a chemist, it is said to contain such exotic elements as Ceylon cinnamon, Florentine iris, Jamaican peppers, and juniper seeds.

Serve it the right way!For their benefits to be fully appreciated, these liqueurs must be served properly. They are traditionally

poured in small stemmed glasses, about two ounces at a time. Never fill the glass to the top, only two-thirds of the way.

Depending on which liqueur, some are served chilled, others at room temperature. Swallow them slowly with sips, not gulped like shots.

Follow these rules and these libations truly promise a grand finale.