Truth and Beauty- Product Review Averna Limoni

I'm sure the first question most of you are wondering is, "Hey Mayhew, when are you going to finish that bacon eggnog?". Well, patience is a virtue and I promise that I'll have it up by the end of the weekend. Moving on, I came home this evening to find a package waiting for me on my front door. The nice folks who represent Averna sent me a package containing a bottle of Averna amaro, Averna Limoni and Averna Sambuca along with an airline bottle of G'Vine gin. As soon as I saw the Limoni bottle I became instantly suspicious. Here is an Italian company making a lemon liqueur that isn't limoncello? I pulled the bottle out of the package so that it wouldn't contaminate my precious amaro by its very presence. As a general rule, I hate commercial lemon liqueurs. They all fall far short of the limoncello that I make at home, and in no way resemble the limoncello that you get in Italy. I was curious about why a lemon liqueur from Italy (Sicily specifically) wasn't being marketed as limoncello, and I was surprised to find out that instead of lemon peel infused in grain alcohol which is how limoncello is made, Averna Limoni is actually distilled from lemon juice. I decided to try a little bit, just for the sake of research before I banished this bottle to the basement. I took down a rocks glass, added two ice cubes, and poured an ounce of Limoni, swirled it around in the glass, took a whiff and then sipped it. My mind was flooded with memories as I savored the Limoni. The heady smell of lemons in the markets of Italy, summers spent flirting with a sweet girl named Silence, sucking the nectar out of honeysuckle flowers when I was 10, all warm and powerful memories. I've never had any type of beverage bring back memories like this Limoni did, so I just stood in the kitchen for a little bit, stunned. The liqueur is better than any limoncello that I've ever had, it is redolent of lemon blossoms, very floral in addition to its lemon overtones. I went from skeptical to a fan as soon as I had that first sip. I was in love! My mind started racing with possibilities for mixers, until I realized that the perfect complement was still in the box on my dining room table. I opened up the Averna amaro, poured a little in with the Limoni and tasted again. Still too thick to drink but very tasty. A little club soda proved the perfect final addition to a wonderful new creation. My wife commented, "I think its just really drinkable, sweet but its got that earthy component so that its not girly sweet". I call it the Truth and Beauty Cocktail. Just for reference as well, the second picture is the Limoni next to a bottle of my homemade limoncello to highlight the difference in color. The Limoni is more of a solid intense yellow versus the lighter, less opaque yellow of most limoncellos.

Here is the recipe for the Truth and Beauty Cocktail. This is really a fantastic cocktail, and I'd really encourage you to reproduce this at home. Its easy to prepare, well balanced, and delicious.

2oz Averna Limoni Di Sicilia
1/2 oz Averna Amaro
Club Soda

1) In a double rocks glass, add liquors, ice, stir to incorporate and fill with club soda.

Old Tom Gin and other finds

So I flew back in to a 34 degree night in Portland on Sunday, exhausted by my trip but with a bit of a spring in my step as I did find some interesting liquor to bring back with me. I managed to find and acquire 3 bottles of Boord's Old Tom Gin, the first time I've ever seen Old Tom in the States (although I do understand that they distill Old Tom in Jamaica, but only for local consumption). I've been a little under the weather, so I haven't cracked a bottle yet (and I promised 2 of the bottles to friends). I'll probably get into it tonight, if nothing else, just to compare it side by side with say, Aviation Gin and Tanqueray (two gins I know are residing in the old liquor cabinet). More to come on this subject soon.

I also picked up-

- Torani Amer
- Luxardo Amaro
- Amaro Cio Ciaro
- a Portugese anis, Pastis Escarchado which has crystallized sugar and anise in the bottle.
- Bluecoat Gin (a favorite thats unfortunately not available in OR)

Amaro Serafino recipe pt 1

I adore amaro, the versatile bitter liqueurs from Italy that are so versatile in cocktails. I was recently gifted a large quantity of good wine that, unfortunately for me, had already been opened. Rather than attempt to consume more alcohol than my usual prodigious consumption of cocktails, I decided to take a crack at making some amaro. One of the things I find so enjoyable about amaros is that each one has its own personality, no two amaros are the same. Sure, all amaro's need to be bitter, and contain a wine base, but from there the possibilities are endless. This is the first part of the recipe. I'll post the second part and pics in the next day or so. Suffice to say, I'm exceptionally pleased with the end results. Delicious!

3 bottles good quality Zinfandel

.1 oz hyssop
.25 oz cherry bark
1 bay leaf
.2 oz gentian root
.8 oz dried orange peel
fresh anise (6 fresh flowers, and 7 leaves, shredded)
.4 oz tonka beans
.2 oz fresh artichoke leaves, chopped
1 oz dried oregano
4 star anise, crushed
6 juniper berries
.2 oz fresh thyme
.5 oz fresh sage
.3 oz fresh rosemary
.1 oz chamomile flowers
.8 oz cassia bark
.5 oz quassia bark
.15 oz lemon verbena
.5 oz wormwood
1.15 oz sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot, add two bottles of Zin, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. remove from heat, allow to cool, cover and let steep for 12-24 hours. Add 3rd bottle of Zinfandel, 1 1/2 cups good brandy, stir to incorporate, and strain through a chinois. Cover and keep in a cool dry place until part 2 is complete.

SOON TO COME- PART 2 of the Serafino Amaro Recipe