Amaro

July 4, 2016
Europeans have been enjoying bittersweet liquors for hundreds of years, but Americans have only recently begun to appreciate the flavor profiles of this class of liqueurs. Collectively known as amari in Italian, they display a broad range of flavors, and Parsons (Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All) does a terrific job of showcasing them in this collection of over 100 recipes. Parsons begins at the beginning, recounting the history of amaro and highlighting some of the genre’s most passionate bartenders and their respective bars before digging into specific brands: Campari, Luxardo, Cynar, Jagermeister, and dozens of lesser-known but equally interesting varieties. Parsons’s recipes are painfully specific in regard to ingredients and preparation for the book’s cocktails, but once readers have a shelf of amari and a few good bottles of gin, bourbon, or rum on hand, they’ll find that the vast majority of the book’s recipes come together with a minimum of fuss. Classics such as the boulevardier and negroni are hard to mess up and can serve as a gateway to more nuanced cocktails such as the cynara, a mix of bourbon, Aperol, and Cynar cooled with an ice cube infused with bitters. And if that isn’t enough, Parsons closes with a chapter on crafting one’s own amari and tips for incorporating the liqueurs into milkshakes and other desserts.

September 1, 2016

American tastes in food and beverage can often veer toward obvious and sweet. James Beard Award-winning author Parsons opens a door to the bitter and nuanced flavors of the variety of (mostly) Italian liqueurs known as amaro. Digging into what this somewhat imprecise label encompasses, he introduces and extols a range of beverages that draw on such disparate ingredients as rhubarb, orange peel, wormwood, and gentian root. As for when and how to drink amaro, he suggests multiple options, from a typical use as a postmeal digestif to incorporating the liqueurs into cocktails. He follows up with an abundance of recipes capped by noncocktail alternatives such as milkshakes and a variation on rum balls, and even includes information about making versions of the beverages at home. Some recipes are specialized, but readers should be able to manage many of them. VERDICT Bitter flavors may not be for everyone, but Parsons succeeds at opening up exciting possibilities to try at home or seek out at bars.--Peter Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA

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