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Amourous Amaretto

By Hailey Osborne
Published in 406 Woman

I'm sure we are all a little bit exhausted from making it through the heavy hitting holidays at the end of what can only be described as a wild year. I told myself I wasn't going to think about holidays for a while (sorry Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras) but as it happens, I stumbled upon the fabled origin of amaretto and felt compelled to share the history.

Amaretto dates to the 16th century and hails from a village in Northern Italy called Saronno. In 1525 the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Miracles made an addition to the chapel and commissioned a painter by the name of Bernardino Luini, a shining study of Leonardo da Vinci, to paint a fresco of the Madonna of the Miracles. As all great artists of the time, Luini needed a muse to base his Virgin Mary from. It was not long in his search before he was struck by the beauty of a young, widowed innkeeper and asked her to be his muse. There are many stories of the innkeeper also becoming Luini's lover during the painting of the fresco.

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To be chosen as a muse to such an accomplished and talented artist was a great honor, and the innkeeper wanted to show her gratitude and affection. She gifted Luini with a flask full of a home-brewed, amber liqueur made from apricot kernels, burnt sugar and a batch of secret herbs, fruits and other ingredients, and birthed the original recipe for amaretto. The innkeeper may not have been able to provide something of great monetary value, but her thoughtful gift touched Luini deeply.

The innkeeper's recipe would be lost and lay dormant until 1600, when Giovanni Reina rediscovered it. This lends to the idea that the innkeeper was part of the Reina family line. He started distilling the liqueur at home, as many families did during the time-period, and the recipe was closely guarded and handed down from one generation to the next. In the early 20th century, Domenico Reina decided to open a grocery shop called Domenico Reina Coloniali near the tramway station for the line from Milan. Domenico's shop is where the amaretto was produced and marketed, under the name 'Amaretto di Saronno Originale'.

Due to its proximity to commuters from Milan, the liqueur gained popularity quickly, and production grew into a large business by the 1940's. The Reina family started bottling their amaretto in a square bottle to give it a distinct shape.

Amaretto di Saronno Originale was not imported into the United States until the 1960's. When it became available, it quickly spread as a favorite ingredient in cocktails, cooking and baking. By the 1980's it was second in sales only to Kahlùa and has only been knocked out of the top 10 within the last few years. In 2001, the company shortened the name to Disaronno Originale to elevate themselves over other amaretto brands that emerged during the rise in popularity. Disaronno is still produced in Saronno, Italy and is still owned and operated by the Reina family.

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Disaronno is a clear, bright copper color with golden tones. This color is highlighted by softly sparkling glass and the unique square bottle that was designed in the 70's by an Italian master glassmaker. On the nose, you will be invited into a cozy winter cabin for heavily frosted Christmas cookies and Battenberg cake. The taste opens up with notes of marzipan, toasted almonds, apricot, candied cherries, vanilla, and lemon zest. Toasted bitter almonds on the finish highlight the Italian origin of the name 'amaretto' meaning 'a little bitter' but is well balanced by the lingering sweetness of marzipan. Those with nut allergies need not worry though, Disaronno does not actually contain almonds or nuts! The nutty profile is accomplished with apricot kernel oil, as the innkeeper used apricot kernels in her original recipe.

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I prefer a splash of Disaronno with a splash of cream in my coffee, and you can't go wrong with a classic amaretto sour. But if you are looking for a few new ways to enjoy amaretto, I have a few recipes to share with you.

Disaronno Fizz

Amaretto Sunrise

Apple Cobbler

Equipment:

  • Cocktail glass of your choice

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Disaronno
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Lemon zest
  • Soda water or sparkling water
  • Ice cubes

Instructions:

  • Pour Disaronno over ice
  • Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Top with soda water or sparkling water
  • Garnish with lemon zest

 


Equipment:

  • 12+ oz cocktail glass

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Disaronno
  • 1 oz Triple Sec
  • 1 tsp Grenadine or maraschino cherry juice
  • 8 oz citrus sparkling water
  • 1 maraschino cherry
  • Splash half & half (optional)

Instructions:

  • Fill cocktail glass one-third full with ice
  • Add Disaronno, triple sec and grenadine
  • Add sparkling water
  • Top with maraschino cherry and half & half

 

Equipment:

  • Lowball or rocks glass

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Disaronno
  • 1 oz cranberry juice
  • 1 oz apple juice
  • 0.25 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1 apple slice

Instructions:

  • Fill glass with ice
  • Mix ingredients over ice
  • Garnish with apple slice
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