Centerbe () or Centerba (
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for 'Hundred Herbs') is a
liqueur
A liqueur ( , ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of Liquor, 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-age ...
made by
aromatic herbs commonly found on
Mount Majella.
It is a typical
Abruzzese liquor in central Italy and is made on a base of 70% alcohol.
The liqueur comes in two strengths: strong and mild. The strong centerba is widely used as
digestif after-meals and has antiseptic properties.
It was originally manufactured by Beniamino Toro in
Tocco da Casauria in 1817.
It is usually made with 60 to 150 proof (30–75%)
alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as alc/vol or ABV) is a common measure of the amount of Alcohol (drug), alcohol contained in a given alcoholic beverage. It is defined as the volume the ethanol in the liquid would take if separated from the rest ...
, and can be made by placing orange leaves, basil, chamomile, rosemary, sage, juniper, cloves, cinnamon, toasted coffee beans, saffron, mint, lemon leaves, mandarin leaves, thyme blossoms, and marjoram in a bottle.
"White Unsweetened Centerbe" is an ingredient in the forgotten (presumably French) ''Coup de Foudre''
Love Struck'cocktail, included in the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild's '1700 Cocktails' (1934). Verbatim, the recipe is: 1/3 White Unsweetened Centerbe', 1/3 Red Curaçao, 1/3 Coates Plymouth Gin. Serve with a small piece of candied orange peel.
There was a "green and unsweetened" version, as listed in the "Green Devil" cocktail recipe included in the book "Drinks Long and Short" (1925 - Nina Toye and A.H. Adair) also published in the UK. "A potent cocktail, very dry, warranted to wake up any party. Contrary to most cocktails no depression is felt when the effects wears off. This cocktail can be mixed or bottle for use. Four glasses of gin, three quarters of a glass of Noilly Prat Vermouth (Martini Rossi), half a glass of Centerbe, green and unsweetened. Ice and shake well. Serve so cold that the glasses are frosted."
[The "Coup de Foudre" cocktail mentioned above can also be found in "Drinks Long and Short" (1925), page 29.]
"Unsweetened" suggests that, at that time, a strictly medicinal version of Centerbe was available, perhaps similar to the homemade recipe above without the sugar syrup. Alternatively, many of the 18th century sweet recipes are, to modern tastes, exceptionally sweet. So perhaps standard Centerbe was routinely sweetened to make it palatable. Bols and Grand Marnier both formerly made red curacaos. Coates, then owners of Plymouth Gin, subsidised the publication of 1700, and in return became the gin brand named in almost all the recipes.
See also
*
Chartreuse
References
{{Reflist
Italian liqueurs
Products introduced in 1817
Cuisine of Abruzzo
Herbal liqueurs