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Averna

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on November 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Averna is yet another digestivo I hold quite dear to my heart, since it is produced in the hometown of my Sicilian ancestors, Caltanissetta.  According to legend, in 1868 the Capuchin* brother Girolamo, of the Santo Spirito Abbey in Caltanissetta, passed on to Salvatore Averna this secret recipe of roots, herbs, and citrus rinds; a typical amaro concoction. What sets Averna apart, however, is the addition of natural caramel, which imbues the bitter amaro with a hint of sweetness that makes Averna smoother and richer, and ultimately much more enjoyable than most other digestivi.

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

*Interestingly, cappuccino derives its name from the brown color of the robes worn by Capuchin friars.

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Tia Maria

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on October 23, 2010| 1 Comment »

During a recent trip back to the States, I had a glorious lunch with none other than a great old friend, il dottore. In the back of a nautical themed Italian restaurant in Greenwich, the two titans of digestivi obviously wanted to enjoy many types of after dinner drinks, but alas, our establishment was terribly understocked, offering a disappointing range of tawny ports and cognacs.  Luckily though, way back, behind the liquor bottles, il digestivatore spied an old stalwart, Tia Maria.

According to legend, the recipe for this smooth, coffee flavored liquor was saved by the maid of a Spanish noble woman who was forced from her plantation in Jamaica during the colonial wars in the 17th century. According to history, Dr Kenneth Leigh Evans, a Jamaican scientist, invented the drink in the 1950’s using coffee beans from the Blue Mountains. Whatever the truth may be, Tia Maria is always a delicious way to polish off a 3 hour lunch.


Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆

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Elixir di San Bernardo

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on September 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

On a somber note, today’s digestivo was discovered during the wake of la ragazza’a grandmother.  As the family mourned her passing, we gathered in her house for stories about her life, accompanied by delicious servings of pasta.  Since the family is Italian, a few choice digestivi were served with the coffee and cake, one of which was a fantastic “amaro-tonico-digestivo” called “Elixir di S. Bernardo”.  To me, this simply tasted like a classic amaro, a blend of bitter herbs and roots.  What makes it notable is the fact that is still dutifully distilled by the Cistercensi friars in the Abbey of Piona on Lake Como. It also has quite a lovely label. Hopefully next time this little known gem will be enjoyed under less unfortunate circumstances.

Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆

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Mastika

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on September 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Alas, the end of summer has fallen upon us and to celebrate, il finanziatore (a dear friend) ever so graciously invited us to fly private for one last lash in Mykonos.  While many spirits were indeed imbibed over endless games of the Shut the Box (and old Malaysian pirate game) that was constructed for this journey alone, it was not until we reached land that we indulged in Mastika, a digestivo originating from the Greek island of Chios, but more popular today in the Balkans and Bulgaria.  Throughout the weekend countless nips of this sweet drink, distilled from the resin of the mastic tree, were consumed, often in great haste.  The anise-like flavors that my palette were unable to detect due to the lack of careful consideration for each sip of my mastika, eventually were burned into the back of my throat by the night’s end.  All in all, mastika definitely exists as a digestivo better enjoyed in the raucous company of friends rather than the contemplative calm of one’s study.

 

 

Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆

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Vana Tallinn

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on September 27, 2010| 3 Comments »

This past weekend il digestivatore travelled east to the former Soviet bloc state of Estonia. Although life might have been rough in Tallinn during the Cold War, at least the people had Vana Tallinn to keep them warm after a long dinner (wow, tight joke).

Anyway, after my dinner at the medieval themed “Hansa” Restaurant in the old town of Tallinn, my waiter (dressed in peasant clothing dating from circa 1355) suggested I try the Vana Tallin, a traditional rum based liquor tasting faintly of vanilla and cinnamon. While not terrible, this digestivo was fairly run of the mill and had no remarkable qualities except for the fact that it is the only digestivo I had a chance to sample whilst I was visiting my brother, l’Artista (a reluctant fan of the old digestivi), who was putting on art shows for an art collective situated in a converted Soviet toy factory. Not your typical weekend, but a new digestivo has been discovered! And that’s pretty much all that matters.

Overall Rating: ★★☆☆☆

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