Italian Amaro
/La Gazzeta’s Editor is on vacation and we are bringing back a story from January 2020, with a few updates. All of the specials and news below is current.
To most of us familiar with Italian cuisine, an Italian meal is not complete without pasta, wine and an espresso to finish. An Italian might suggest that you’ve omitted an important part of the meal - an Amaro. A little more than a year ago, my knowledge of these wonderful bitter-sweet beverages didn’t go beyond Campari (which I drank with club soda and lemon) and Jagermeister (which I hated).
After a short time working with the M’tucci’s family, I have discovered that there is one thing universally loved by management, the chefs and the bartenders - and that is Amari (plural of Amaro, which means bitter in Italian). Now I love them and you should, too!
Amanda Romero, the General Manager at M’tucci’s Moderno, says they are much more than just an aid to digestion.
“I love that each Amaro has different flavors and layers, mixing between bitter, herbal & nutty. Although I have my favorite brands, I will always order an Amaro that I've never tried to see what flavor combinations it has to offer. All Amaro are different which means you can order one no matter your mood! There are sweeter Amaro, extra bitter Amaro, earthy Amaro, the list is endless. My favorite Amaro has remained Cynar,” she said.
Spend some time at our bars, or at any bar that cares about the craft of cocktails, and you’ll notice the increasing number of amari on the shelf. There is an Amaro list at Moderno and you can expect to see one at the new M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.
A centuries-old beverage, amari began as healing tonics or elixirs used for medicinal purposes. While there are an astounding number of styles and makers of amaro, nearly all of them begin with a neutral spirit or wine that is macerated with bitter barks, seeds, spices, flowers, vegetables, herbs and citrus peels, then balanced with sugar. Some of the bittering agents include gentian root, angelica root, wormwood and cinchona bark. You might find anise, cardoon, clove, rhubarb, cardamom, licorice and juniper among the herbal profiles. Some amari are barrel-aged for complexity. The recipes are all closely guarded secrets.
The flavor profiles of amari are definitely local. Amari made in the North rely more on the herbs and flowers available in the mountains, while Southern amari might use more citrus peels.
Humans are born with an aversion to bitter flavors and many of us (Americans) have more interest in the flavors: sweet, sour and salty - even umami. So, a little palate education is necessary to appreciate bitter flavors, and we are acquiring that appreciation by drinking IPAs, cocktails with tonic water, and even coffee and tea. Italians embrace bitter foods early in their lives (greens, chocolate, espresso) and consequently have a long history with bitter flavors and especially with amari.
To an Italian a liqueur is an amari if it is consumed after dinner, which would leave Aperol, Campari and many vermouths off of the list. Is a vermouth an amaro? Technically it’s not, but you would have to consider them bitter cousins, vermouth is usually the lower alcohol cousin. Vermouths are a subject for their own future blog post.
For cocktail history and recipes, I refer a lot to the book, “Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails” by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day. Death & Co. is a popular cocktail bar which first opened in Manhattan (NY) and now has locations in Denver and LA. They list a few popular amari and their flavor profiles:
APERITIVO AMARO
Meletti 1870 Bitter: Balance of sweet and spice with mild bitterness.
Aperol: less bitter and more sweet than Campari, probably the most popular in the US
Campari: is versatile as a sipper or a mixer. You couldn’t have a Negroni without Campari, which has a higher alcohol content and a stronger flavor profile than Aperol.
DIGESTIVO AMARO
Amaro Averna: Described as tasting like Coca-Cola.
Amaro Meletti: Produced in Ascoli Piceno since 1870, it has a distinctive nose of violets with flavors of saffron and anise.
Amaro Nardini: has a menthol flavor similar to Fernet-Branca, but isn’t as bitter
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia: Subtle and approachable, the grappa based amaro is flavored with alpine herbs and is my favorite - so far.
Cynar: though there is an artichoke on the bottle, it really doesn’t taste like artichokes, but has a flavor profile that transitions from sweet to sharp and citrusy with some vegetal notes.
Fernet-Branca: “This is amaro on crack with an aggressive medicinal, mentholated flavor profile.” Comment from the Death & Co. cocktail book.
Try this recipe, a riff on an Old-Fashioned, from Death & Co.’s book “Cocktail Codex”. It uses two amari, so you don’t need to use bitters or sugar.
1.5 oz. Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz. Germain Robin Brandy
1/4 oz. Amaro Meletti
6 drops of a salt solution
Stir ingredients over ice, strain into an Old-Fashioned glass over 1 large cube. Express an orange twist over the glass, gently rub it on the rim and place it into the drink.
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asperagus, Balsamic Reduction $36
Pan-Seared Corvina: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $29
Pesto Ricotta Ravioli: Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, Green Beans, Spinach, White Wine Butter $21
Braised Pork Shank Ossobuco: Creamy Garlic Herb Risotto $23
Weekend Cocktail
French Dahlia: Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Apple Juice, Dahlia Christalino Tequila
M’tucci’s Moderno
Sackett Farm Pork Loin: Stuffed With Spinach Prociutto And Mozzarella, With Marscapone Polenta, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Dijon Butter $19
14 oz. Ribeye: Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32
Pan Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $31
Weekend Cocktail
Brandied Berry: Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Cassis, Lemon Juice
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Surf & Turf: 6oz Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Shrimp, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Served With Cajun Burerre Blanc $35
Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $21
M’tucci’s Famous Slow Roasted Five Pork Lasagna: Aged Mozzarella, Roasted San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Garnished With Pecorino And Basil $18
Sorbet: Blood Orange
Gelato: Basil Mint Stracciatella With Berry Swirl
Weekend Cocktail
Simple Highball: 1792 Small Batch Bourbon (“High Rye” Recipe), Ginger Ale, Soda
Live Music - September at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Thursday from 7:00 - 9:00 and Friday from 8:00 - 10:00
9/2
Eryn Bent @ Moderno
Amy Faithe @ 25
9/3
Kirk Matthews @ Moderno
9/9
Cali Shaw @ Moderno
Eryn Bent @ 25
9/16
Kirk Matthews @ Moderno
Cali Shaw @ 25
9/23
Lani Nash @ Moderno
Melissa Rios @ 25
9/24
Oscar Butler @ Moderno
9/30
RJ Perez @ Moderno
Kirk Matthews @ 25
Before we go: M’tucci’s Italian Chef Cory Gray will be a guest on New Mexico Living this coming Monday, August 30, at 9:00 a.m. The show is on KRQE. Gray will be demonstrating our unique preparation of Pasta Della Forma. Please tune in!
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
