Amaretto (Italian for "a little bitter") is a sweet Italian
liqueur
A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyon ...
that originated in
Saronno
Saronno (; lmo, Saronn ) is a ''comune'' of Lombardy, Italy, in the province of Varese. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree in 1960. With an estimated population of 39,351 inhabitants, it is the most densely populated ...
. Depending on the brand, it may be made from
apricot kernel
An apricot kernel is the apricot seed located within the fruit endocarp, which forms a hard shell around the seed called the pyrena (stone or pit).
The kernel contains amygdalin, a poisonous compound, in concentrations that vary between culti ...
s,
bitter almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...
s,
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, n ...
stones, or
almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...
s, all of which are natural sources of the
benzaldehyde
Benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) is an organic compound consisting of a benzene ring with a formyl substituent. It is the simplest aromatic aldehyde and one of the most industrially useful.
It is a colorless liquid with a characteristic almond-like odor. ...
that provides the almond-like flavour of the liqueur.
It generally contains 21 to 28 percent
alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol ( ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) ...
.
When served as a beverage, amaretto can be drunk by itself, used as an ingredient to create several popular
mixed drink
A mixed drink is a beverage in which two or more ingredients are mixed.
Types
* List of non-alcoholic mixed drinks -- A non-alcoholic mixed drink (also known as virgin cocktail, boneless cocktail, temperance drink, or mocktail) is a cocktail- ...
s, or added to
coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
Seeds of ...
. Amaretto is also commonly used in culinary applications.
Origin
Etymology
The name ''amaretto'' originated as a
diminutive
A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...
of the
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
word ''amaro'', meaning "bitter", which references the distinctive flavour lent by the ''mandorla amara'' or by the
drupe
In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel ...
kernel. However, the bitterness of amaretto tends to be mild, and sweeteners (and sometimes sweet almonds) enhance the flavour in the final products.
[Hopkins, Kate]
"Almonds: Who Really Cares?"
(August 28, 2004). Accidental Hedonist. Retrieved January 1, 2007. Thus, one can interpret the liqueur's name as a description of the taste as "a little bitter".
Cyanide
Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms.
In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of ...
is processed out of the almond preparation before its use.
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 history of introducing and accepting almonds into Italian cuisine, newer takes on the meanings and origins have been popularized by two major brands. Though of sometimes questionable provenance, these tales hold a sentimental place in Saronno culture:
Notable brands
*
DeKuyper – Netherlands
*
Disaronno – Italy
*
Lazzaroni
Lazzaroni () is the brand name related to several biscuits and bakery products manufactured by the Italian company D. Lazzaroni & C. Spa.
Lazzaroni is a well-known Italian brand thanks to products such as Amaretti di Saronno. Lazzaroni was the ...
– Italy
*
Bols Bols may refer to:
* Bol (music), an element of Indian rhythm
* Lucas Bols, a Dutch distilling company
* Bols (brand)
Bols is a brand name used by Lucas Bols, a Dutch distiller of alcoholic beverages. The brand line currently consists of vodkas ...
– Netherlands
*
Luxardo – Italy
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 flavour of chocolate.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu ( it, tiramisù , from , "pick me up" or "cheer me up") is a coffee-flavoured Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers (savoiardi) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured w ...
, a popular Italian cake, is often flavoured with either real amaretto or alcohol-free amaretto aroma.
* Savoury recipes that call for amaretto usually involve 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.
* Amaretto chocolate truffles
Cocktails
Cocktails with Amaretto liqueur as a primary ingredient:
* ''Amaretto Piña Colada'' - Amaretto liqueur, light rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.
* ''
Amaretto Sour
An amaretto sour is a cocktail using amaretto liqueur. It is a type of sour, a mixed drink made with a base spirit, citrus juice, and a sweetener. The drink is the most popular cocktail use for amaretto.
Preparation
As described in ''Sardi's Bar ...
'' - Amaretto liqueur, lemon juice, egg white, sugar or
simple syrup
Inverted sugar syrup, also called invert syrup, invert sugar, simple syrup, sugar syrup, sugar water, bar syrup, syrup United States Pharmacopeia, USP, or sucrose inversion, is a syrup mixture of the monosaccharides glucose and fructose, that ...
and orange slice and cherries, for garnish .
* ''
French Connection'' - Amaretto liqueur and
Cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cognac production falls under French appella ...
. -
IBA official cocktail
The IBA official cocktails are the cocktails selected by the International Bartenders Association (IBA) for use in the annual World Cocktail Competition (WCC) in bartending.
List of cocktails
IBA official cocktails are divided into three categ ...
* ''
Godfather'' - Amaretto liqueur and
Scotch.
* ''Nutcracker Martini'' - Amaretto liqueur, dark
crème de cacao, vodka, and
Irish cream.
* ''Snickerdoodle Cookie Martini'' - Amaretto liqueur, cinnamon liqueur, and cinnamon vodka.
* ''Toasted Almond'' - Amaretto liqueur, coffee liqueur, milk or cream; ''Roasted Toasted Almond'' - Adds vodka
Orgeat syrup
Amaretto is sometimes used as a substitute for
Orgeat syrup in places where the syrup cannot be found or to impart a less sweet flavour.
See also
*
Bitter almond liqueur, a similar drink from Portugal
*
List of almond dishes
This is a list of almond foods and dishes, which use almond as a primary ingredient. The almond is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. "Almond" is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within ...
*
List of cocktails
A cocktail is a mixed drink typically made with a distilled liquor (such as arrack, brandy, cachaça, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey) as its base ingredient that is then mixed with other ingredients or garnishments. Sweetened liqu ...
References
External links
*
{{Alcoholic beverages
Almond dishes
Nut liqueurs
Italian liqueurs