Introduction.1
DEMYSTIFYING AMARO.5
EXPLORING THE WORLD OF AMARO .23
APERITIVO COCKTAILS.87
Americano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.90
Aperol Spritz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.93
Campari and Soda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Garibaldi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.94
Negroni Sbagliato. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
97
ESSENTIAL AMARO COCKTAILS .99
Boulevardier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.100
Hanky Panky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Jungle Bird. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
104
Negroni. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
107
Old Pal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
108
Toronto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
108
MODERN AMARO COCKTAILS .111
Alpine Slide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.112
Alpine Sour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.114
Amaro Amanté. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Amaro Sour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
117
The Art of the Choke/
Kyle’s After Pork Digestif . . . . . . . . .121
Averna Smash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Bartender on Acid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Bitter Giuseppe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
The Bitter Swagger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Bjórn Supremacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Black Manhattan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Boss Colada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
128
The Brave. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
130
The Brunch Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Cantina Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Cappelletti Spritz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Cardinal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.136
Carroll Gardens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
The Chipileños. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Choke and Smoke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Cranberry Beret. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Cynara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
143
Eeyore’s Requiem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Elena’s Virtue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
144
Embittered Garibaldi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Exit Strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
148
Fields Forever. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.151
Flip Ya for Real. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
152
Foregone Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Friûl Libar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
157
Gato Amargo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Grandmother’s Tea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Here Today, Saigon Amaro. . . . . . . . . 162
Hunting Vest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163
Ice-Berg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
165
Italian Buck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.166
The Jump Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Juniper #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
168
Letters of Marque. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Little Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.171
M&M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
172
The Mayor’s Lament. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Monte Clift. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Mustache Ride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Paper Plane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
179
Red Hook Criterium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Rickey Ramazzotti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Root Down. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
184
Safe Passage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
San Francisco Treat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Senegalese Friendship Bracelet. . . . 189
Seventh Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Sharpie Mustache. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Skystone Meletti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Smithstreeter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
197
Summer Babe (Winter Version) . . . . . 198
Summer Quartet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Thistle and Weeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
The Velvet Ditch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
The Victorian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
The Waterfront. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
White Negroni. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Yesterday, Today, and Amaro. . . . . . . 210
Zucca for Love. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.211
Chile-Choke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
214
CIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
214
Ferrari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
214
Full Monte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
214
Hard Start. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
216
Jälort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
218
The Jimbo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
218
Magari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
219
Malori. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
219
Maserati. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
219
Nar Nar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
219
Newport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
219
Shatz, Bro! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.220
Spaghetti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.220
Zucca Joe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.220
MAKING YOUR OWN AMARO .223
Autumnal Amaro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Winter Spice Amaro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
Rite of Spring Amaro. . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Summer Solstice Amaro . . . . . . . . . . .233
THE BITTERSWEET K ITCHEN .235
Caffè Corretto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Drunken Affogato. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Amaro-Spiked Milkshakes. . . . . . . . . .242
Bittersweet Ice Cream Sodas. . . . . . .246
Aperitivo Ice Pops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249
Fernet and Coke Ice Pops. . . . . . . . . .249
Bitter Balls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
251
Amaro-etti Cookies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252
Branca Menta Hot Chocolate. . . . . . .255
Amaro-Spiked
Mulled Hot Apple Cider. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
Barrel-Aged Fernet Maple Syrup. . . .256
Brad Thomas Parsons is the author of Amaro- The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs and Bitters- A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, which was the winner of the James Beard and IACP Cookbook Awards, and a finalist for the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Parsons received an MFA in writing from Columbia University, and his work has appeared in Bon Appetit, Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Punch, and more. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit www.btparsons.com.
“Long before there were chef-driven cocktails, there were
monk-driven digestivi, also known as amaro. They made us feel
better, encouraged post-prandial discourse, and set us up for a
better tomorrow. Thanks to Brad Thomas Parsons, we now have a book
that properly celebrates the category, and teaches us just how
sweet it is to drink what's bitter.”
– Danny Meyer, founder of the Union Square Hospitality Group
“I am a longtime lover of bitter Italian liqueurs. But this smart
handbook has deepened my understanding of and heightened my
appreciation for amaro and its kin. Read this and you will be
thirsty.”
– Mario Batali
“Brad Thomas Parsons’s Bitters quickly became the definitive guide
to a mysterious but essential cocktail ingredient. He’s done it
again with Amaro, a gorgeous, comprehensive, and delectable
exploration of the world’s bittersweet aperitifs and digestifs.
Parsons’s passion for the history, culture, and personalities
behind these herbaceous concoctions, coupled with Ed Anderson’s
gorgeous photography, make Amaro a must-have.”
– Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist
“A few things happen as you age: you start really liking yogurt,
you talk about seeing ‘other people,’ you’re willing to risk big to
let out a memorable ‘Bababooey!’ scream at your son’s piano
recital, and, fortunately, you begin to really enjoy bitters. Not
only for their taste, but also because they’re a panacea for the
middle-aged gut. Amaro is no longer strictly a clever way to deter
teenage partygoers from raiding the house bar; it’s a staple
ingredient, and it’s about time for such a thoroughly researched
and deliciously presented book on the subject. Amaro is complete
and thirst-inducing. Two thumbs up!”
– Frédéric Morin and David McMillan, authors of The Art of Living
According to Joe Beef
“Fernet-Branca: what would we do without it? It is certainly
my favorite of the amaros; some even say that it cures all known
ailments and improves the humors. What a treat to read Amaro,
a book devoted to these bittersweet aids to digestion, health, and
happiness.”
– Fergus Henderson, author of The Complete Nose to
Tail
"With cocktail recipes, amaro-spiked desserts, and even a guide to
making your own amari, this book is a comprehensive guide to the
liqueur. But more than just a guide, Amaro is a book you actually
want to read. It’s written by Brad Thomas Parsons, the author of
the James Beard and IACP award-winning book on bitters, and its
best feature are the recipe headnotes. Ranging from personal
anecdotes about cocktails to multiple paragraphs about a classic’s
history, you get fun, interesting context with every
recipe."
– Saveur
"One man’s love affair with bitter liqueurs…the book is ideally
timed: Many Americans in the last few years have discovered
the bracing pleasures of drinks like Campari, Aperol, Cynar and
even the acerbic Fernet Branca.”
– New York Times
“...Parsons does a terrific job of showcasing [amari] in this
collection of over 100 recipes."
– Publishers Weekly
“...Parsons succeeds at opening up exciting possibilities to try at
home or seek out at bars."
– Library Journal
"Parsons more than delivers on sweet ways to enjoy the spirit,
explains the vast amari family tree and gives tips for how to make
your own variety for every season."
– Tasting Table
"If you're a fan of Campari, Averna, Cynar, or other bittersweet
liqueurs, this book will have your mouth watering and your liquor
cabinet collapsing under its own weight."
– Serious Eats
"Brad Thomas Parsons’s Amaro: The Spirited World of
Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs serves as an Alice-like rabbit
hole allowing full immersion in the world of amaro..."
– Wall Street Journal
"The man who might as well change his middle name to “bitter” is
back with a follow-up to his award-winning Bitters.
Beautifully photographed by Ed Anderson, Amaro is as much
a desperately needed guide to the opaque and ill-defined world of
bitter herbal liqueurs as it is a visual love letter to Italy.
... Parsons once again shows why he’s become one of the drink
world’s most reliable voices."
– PUNCH
"The amaro craze now has its bible."
– Chicago Reader
"Parsons, whose first book Bitters: a Spirited History of a Classic
Cure-All covered similar territory via bitters, is a natural fit
for this material. And his descriptions—both in page-long
essays and in descriptive paragraphs for each drink—are
biographical, informative, and witty enough to keep even the
modestly curious engaged. That is, the index is not your only entry
point—you can comfortably and sequentially flip pages."
– Seattle Met
"This book is a deep dive into the history and characteristics of
amaro with excellent cocktail recipes. Any cocktail nerd will love
reading this book."
– Tampa Bay Times
"With gorgeous photos and 100 original recipes, it will seriously
amp up your man’s esoteric cocktail game."
– PureWow
"A must for anyone who has a shelf for cocktail books."
– The Manual
"Parsons lucidly explains how the centuries-old European tradition
of digestifs made from complex recipes of ingredients ranging from
artichokes to myrrh and often secret combos of mountain herbs
became the latest obsession in American cocktail culture."
– Philadelphia Inquirer
"This stylishly-designed volume offers background on the main
producers, over a hundred cocktail recipes and a section on how to
make your own amaro at home."
– Forbes.com
"It is a definitive and enlightening take on this
oft-misunderstood spirit category that continues to intrigue,
perplex and confuse even the most seasoned hands."
– Tales of the Cocktail
"Amaro is the most in depth, detailed, and well put together
book on the industry’s favorite class of liqueurs. From the better
known Campari and Fernet Branca to American-made amari
like Calisaya from Oregon, this work is encyclopedic in its
scope."
– Star Chefs
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