Amaretto

Bottles of amaretto liqueur.

Amaretto (Italian for "a little bitter") is a sweet, almond-flavoured, Italian liqueur associated with Saronno, Italy. Various commercial brands are made from a base of apricot pits, almonds, or both.^[1]

When served as a beverage, amaretto can be drunk by itself, used as an ingredient to create several popular mixed drinks, or added to coffee. Amaretto is also commonly used in culinary applications.

Origin

Etymology

The name amaretto originated as a diminutive of the Italian word amaro, meaning "bitter", which references the distinctive flavour lent by the mandorla amara (the bitter almond) or by the drupe kernel. However, the bitterness of amaretto tends to be mild, and sweeteners—and sometimes sweet almonds—enhance the flavour in the final products.^[2] Thus one can interpret the liqueur's name as a description of the taste as "a little bitter". Cyanide is processed out of the almond preparation prior to its use.

Conflation of amaro ("bitter") and amore ("love") has led to associations with romance.^[3]

One should not confuse amaretto with amaro, a different family of Italian liqueurs that, while also sweetened, have a stronger bitter flavour derived from herbs.

Legend

Despite the known history on the introduction and acceptance of almonds into Italian cuisine, newer takes on the meanings and origins have been popularized by two major brands. Though of sometimes questionable factuality, these tales hold a sentimental place in Saronno culture:

In 1525, a Saronno church commissioned artist Bernardino Luini, one of Leonardo da Vinci's pupils, to paint its sanctuary with frescoes. As the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Luini needed to depict the Madonna, but was in need of a model. He found his inspiration in a young widowed innkeeper, who became his model and (in most versions) lover. Out of gratitude and affection, the woman wished to give him a gift. Her simple means did not permit much, so she steeped apricot kernels in brandy and presented the resulting concoction to a touched Luini.^[4][5]

Notable Brands

• DeKuyper – Netherlands
• Disaronno – Italy
• Hiram Walker – USA
• Lazzaroni – Italy
• Bols – Netherlands
• Luxardo – Italy
• Mr. Boston – USA
• Phillips – USA

Usage

Amaretto serves a variety of culinary uses.

Cooking

• Amaretto is frequently added to desserts, including ice cream, which enhances the flavour of the dessert with almonds and is complementary to the flavor of chocolate. Tiramisu, a popular Italian cake, is often flavoured with either real amaretto or alcohol-free amaretto aroma.
• Savoury recipes which call for it usually focus on meats, such as chicken.
• A few shots of amaretto can be added to pancake batter for a richer flavour.
• Amaretto is often added to almondine sauce for fish and vegetables.
• Amaretto is often added to whipped cream.

Beverages

Some popular cocktails highlight Amaretto liqueur as a primary ingredient.

• French Connection. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, Cognac and ice cubes
  An IBA Official Cocktail
• Godfather. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, Scotch and ice cubes.
  An IBA Official Cocktail
• Amaretto Sour. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, lemon juice and ice cubes.
• Twilight Amaretto Sour. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, bourbon whiskey, lemon-lime soda, lemon juice, and sugar.^[6]
• Snickerdoodle Cookie Martini. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, cinnamon liqueur, and cinnamon vodka.^[7]
• Nutcracker Martini. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, dark crème de cacao, vodka, and Irish cream.^[8]
• Amaretto Sour variant. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, egg white, cask strength bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake and pour over ice.^[9]
• Amaretto Piña Colada. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, light rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice, and ice cubes.^[10]
• Amaretto Stone Sour. Ingredients: Amaretto liqueur, orange juice, and sour mix.^[11][12][13]

Amaretto is sometimes used as a substitute for Orgeat Syrup in places where the syrup cannot be found, or just to impart a less sweet flavour.

See also

• List of cocktails
• List of almond dishes

Notes

External links

• Media related to Amaretto liqueurs at Wikimedia Commons

Alcoholic drinks
History and production History of alcohol History of alcoholic beverages History of beer History of wine History of Bordeaux wine History of Champagne History of Chianti History of French wine History of Portuguese wine History of Rioja wine History of Sherry History of South African wine Production Alcohol industry Brewing Distillation Drinking establishments Fermentation Winemaking
Alcoholic drinks Fermented drink Beer Cider Mead Rice wine Sake Wine Other fermented drinks Distilled drink Brandy Gin Liqueur Rum Tequila Vodka Whisky Other distilled drinks Fortified wine Madeira wine Marsala wine Port wine Sherry Vermouth Other fortified wines
Distilled drinks by ingredients Fruit Apple Applejack Calvados Cashew apple Feni Coconut Arrack Fig Boukha Grape Armagnac Brandy Cognac Pisco Plum Slivovitz Țuică Pomace Chacha Grappa Marc Orujo Tsikoudia Tsipouro Zivania Various fruits Eau de vie Himbeergeist Kirschwasser Marillenschnaps Nalewka Pálinka Rakia Schnaps Cereals Barley Irish whiskey Japanese whisky Scotch whisky Maize Bourbon whiskey Corn whiskey Tennessee whiskey Rice Awamori Cheongju Rice baijiu Shōchū Soju Rye Korn Rye whiskey Starka Sorghum Baijiu (Kaoliang) Multiple grains American whiskey Canadian whisky Other Agave Mezcal Tequila Buckwheat Buckwheat whisky Shōchū Sugarcane or molasses Aguardiente Cachaça Clairin Guaro Rum Seco Herrerano Tharra Various starches Akvavit Horilka Poitín Shōchū Vodka
Liqueurs and infused distilled drinks by ingredients Almond Amaretto Crème de Noyaux Anise Absinthe Arak Hierbas Herbs de Majorca Ouzo Pastis Rakı Sambuca Blackthorn shrub Patxaran Chocolate Chocolate liqueur Cinnamon Tentura Cloudberry Lakka Coconut Malibu Coffee Kahlúa Tia Maria Egg Advocaat Hazelnut Frangelico Herbs Aquavit Bénédictine Brennivín Crème de menthe Metaxa Honey Bärenjäger Drambuie Glayva Krupnik Juniper Gin Jenever Orange Campari Cedratine Curaçao Triple sec Peppers Pertsivka Star anise Sassolino Sugarcane/molasses Charanda Various fruits Crème de banane Crème de cassis Limoncello Schnapps Sloe gin
Category Portals Liquor Beer Drink Wine WikiProjects Beer Spirits Wine