Amaretto Sour

Looking for a great recipe for the alcoholic beverage above? You have come to the right place! See below for interesting information about this alcoholic beverage as well as recipes.

INFORMATION:

The term amaretto refers to a sweet liqueur made from a basic infusion almonds or the almond-like kernels from the stones of drupe fruits, as well as a related biscotto (usually referred to in the plural, amaretti). Both originate in Italy, where major brands are still produced today.

The name is a diminutive of amaro, a cognate of the English "almond", the French "amande", and other such Latin-influenced words. In current Italian usage it means "bitter", indicating the distinctive flavor lent by the mandorla amara–the bitter almond or the drupe kernel. However, these are not unapalatably bitter, and their flavor is enhanced by sweeteners, and sometimes sweet almonds, in the final products. Therefore, the liqueur's name can be said to describe the taste as "a little bitter", and the plural, referring to the biscuits, suggests "little bitter things" or "things [that are] a little bitter".

Amaretto serves a variety of culinary uses. It may be served by itself, with ice ("on the rocks") or with other beverages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, to create mixed drinks such as the amaretto sour and the Caffe Zurich. The latter drink incorporates amaretto and coffee, an extremely popular flavor combination: other mixed drinks call for Kahlúa, but in the everyday cup of coffee, nonalcoholic amaretto flavor may be added by means of widely-available flavored syrups, creamers, and so on. Other sweet concoctions blend ice cream or cream with amaretto.

Amaretto is added to desserts, which enhance the flavor with almonds or complement it with chocolate; savory recipes which call for it usually focus on meat, such as chicken.

Amaretti are not commonly used as an ingredient outside Italy. As mentioned, steeping them is one method of creating amaretto. The crisp texture of Saronno's macaroon lends itself to tiramisu-like creations. Amaretti crumbs might be sprinkled on top of ice cream or gelato, and Lazzaroni adds them to their line of chocolate bars.

Disaronno Originale (56 proof), the most popular brand, has a characteristic bittersweet almond taste and is known for its distinctive appearance. Calling itself the "original" amaretto, the brand claims the Luini tale as its own particular history. As the story is continued on the Disaronno website, apothecary Domenico Reina of Saronno improved on the young widow's creation in the late 1700s, creating a "secret formula" that became so popular his family still produces it in the town today and sells it worldwide.

The company describes its amaretto as an infusion of "apricot kernel oil" with "absolute alcohol, burnt sugar, and the pure essence of seventeen selected herbs and fruits". The amber liqueur is presented in a rectangular glass decanter designed by a craftsman from Murano.

Formerly known as "Amaretto Disaronno", the company altered the name to "Disaronno Originale" after copyright issues arose.

Lazzaroni Amaretto (48 proof), produced by Paolo Lazzaroni & Figli S.p.A., also presents itself as the first such liqueur. However, it is based on an infusion of Amaretti di Saronno, a process which imparts a "delicate almond/apricot flavor". Lazzaroni claim the tale of the young couple blessed by the bishop as the origin of their the generations-guarded family recipe, dating it to 1718; the amaretto has been in production since 1851.

Lazzaroni Amaretti di Saronno are a popular brand of Italian almond macaroons, sold in various sizes and still wrapped in pairs in colorful paper. Both the biscotti and the liqueur are noted for their distinctive and uniform red packaging.

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