Amaretto

Amaretto (Italian for "a little bitter") is a type of alcoholic beverage originating from Italy, namely a liqueur flavored with almonds, or the almond-like kernels from apricots, peaches, etc.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Amaretto Di Saronno

The most popular brand is Amaretto Di Saronno ("from Saronno"),

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

an amber-red liqueur made from apricot stones, with a characteristic bittersweet almond taste, containing 28.0% ethanol (56 proof).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is claimed that when painter Bernardino Luini was commissioned in 1525 to paint a fresco of the Madonna for the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Saronno, Italy, he had a romantic affair with the young innkeeper whom he had hired to pose for the painting, and she created the liqueur as a gift for her lover.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The current makers claim that the recipe has not changed since that time. The bottle, however, has changed a few times before the well-known square bottle was designed by a master glass craftsman from Murano.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lazzaroni Amaretto

Lazzaroni Amaretto has been produced in Saronno, since 1851, by Paolo Lazzaroni & Figli S.p.A.. It is made by "infusion of Amaretti Di Saronno Cookies," which is different from the usual use of "essence" based liqueurs. Lazzaroni Amaretto is 24% ethanol (48 proof).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Italian: Italian may refer to:...

Alcoholic beverage: Alcoholic beverages are drinks containing ethanol....

Italy: Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. It comprises a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia, and shares its northern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries...