TDG: Wine Camp: Amore and Amaro

[Craig Camp]

What's this Cynar hating trend. I love it with just a splash of soda and a orange twist on the rocks.

[Craig Camp]

In Liguria this year, the older-Italian men were drinking a mixture of Campari, Amperol and prosecco (forget the name, something to do with Italian for "Light"). Seemed like a strange choice, but better then Cynar at least.

Campari AND Aperol? Never saw it. Gotta try it.

[maggiethecat]

What's a Montengro? I think I want one.

Negronis. Yum.

[MatthewB]

Fernet Branca.

[Craig Camp]

What's a Montengro?  I think I want one.

Negronis.  Yum.

Montenegro is a brand of amaro.

[trillium]

Great overview of the big amari producers, but what is the discussion doing in wine??? 

regards,

trillium

Amaro follows wine. They are intricately intertwined in the universe.

Maybe...maybe. But most of the amari discussion is done over in the other spirits and cocktails. We've had 3 threads so far...

In San Francisco, one of the local drinks that started in North Beach (where the Italians settled) and spread throughout the city is a Picon Punch. It's basically just Amer Picon (an orange flavored bitters that tastes similar to Chinotto), a little grenadine and soda water on ice. The tradition is that if it's foggy you order it with a brandy floater (some bartenders just add it automatically when the weather is bad). I guess that Amer Picon is actually French, but when it was still distributed in the US the rumor was that SF accounted for half of it's US consumption. There are actually quite a few cocktails that use Amer Picon, but I think the Picon punch is the most common. I've seen it drunk mostly as an aperitivo in a meal setting, but it still gets referred to as an amaro. Culteral dilution?

I bought lots of little tourist bottles of amari from the Sicilian towns we stayed in. I was surprised at how good and different from each other they were. When I ordered an amaro in a restaurant I was told the women my age didn't drink them, they were too strong. What's up with that? It's not like I'm a spring chicken or anything.

regards,

trillium

[balex]

Does anyone here like Barolo chinato? I have tried several times to enjoy this; I persevered, I showed real grit but I was defeated.

And I love amari and Campari etc.

[Craig Camp]

Does anyone here like Barolo chinato? I have tried several times to enjoy this; I persevered, I showed real grit but I was defeated.

And I love amari and Campari etc.

I think Barolo Chinato is mainly kept around for reasons of nostalgia. I can think of no other reason.

As you can imagine they only select the finest Barolo to abuse this way. Perhaps it is a good way to get rid of lousy Barolo. There are a lot of grocery store Baroli that perhaps wood be better with a little china root thrown in.

[Jim Dixon]

Campari shakeratos

Is this like a regular cafe shakerato but with Campari?

Sounds interesting...

Jim

[Craig Camp]

Campari shakeratos

Is this like a regular cafe shakerato but with Campari?

Sounds interesting...

Jim

Campari with a dollop of gin - shaken on ice in a martini shaker.

[Andre]

A question,

I understand the cocktails are based on bitters, but why the branding ?

I honstly believe this forum can be a step higher than using commercial brands.

It is like saying, I cook the meat with Cabernet Mondavi or showing up with a MacDonald bag in a soap opera.

I enjoy Martini Bitter, Barbero bitter and several other examples, at sometimes half the price.

[Craig Camp]

A question,

I understand the cocktails are based on bitters, but why the branding ?

I honstly believe this forum can be a step higher than using commercial brands.

It is like saying, I cook the meat with Cabernet Mondavi or showing up with a MacDonald bag in a soap opera.

I enjoy Martini Bitter, Barbero bitter and  several other examples, at sometimes half the price.

Martini Bitter is just a Campari rip off. Yes it is much cheaper but is basically unavailable to those who live outside of Italy. Neither the Martini Bitter or Barbero bitter are Amari.

Brands like those mentioned in my article are at the pinnacle of Amaro production, unlike Mondavi or McDonald's so I do not understand your reference.

[Andre]

Craig,

You are a professional and setting the example as one. Many people will be looking up to you and will try to duplicate your suggestions. When you suggest a specific brand name in a certain recipe, this is exactly what they will use.

That is exactly what the commercial companies are aspiring to.

I would have prefered to use a general term rather than a spcific brand name.

[Craig Camp]

Craig,

You are a professional and setting the example as one. Many people will be looking up to you and will try to duplicate your suggestions. When you suggest a specific brand name in a certain recipe, this is exactly what they will use.

That is exactly what the commercial companies are aspiring to.

I would have prefered to use a general term rather than a spcific brand name.

What can I say. I like Campari and that is what I buy. If you like Martini fine it is half the price. The thing is unless you live in Italy it is likely that Campari is your only choice.