An Insider's guide to restaurants, wine, spirits and culinary travel
Sambuca Molinari
Virtually every culture has an anise-flavored spirit that forms an important part of its social fabric. Greece prides itself on Ouzo; France produces Anisette, Absinthe, Pastis and Pernod; Turks drink Raki, while Arak is the favorite among the other (and supposedly abstemious) countries of the Middle East. Italy’s pride and joy is Sambuca, and one brand stands above the rest: Molinari.
Angelo Molinari invented his potion in 1945 in Citavecchia, just outside of
Rome. It was basically Anisette with a higher alcohol content and better
ingredients, an infusion of essential oils from star anise and elderflowers. It
was produced by hand at first by trained artisans using traditional methods, a
few bottles at a time, and the first commercial plant wasn’t opened until 1959.
In the 1960’s it became synonymous with the dolce vita of Italy, and became the
drink of celebrities and film stars; famed Italian race car driver Mario
Andretti was the commercial face of Molinari throughout the 1980s. In 1968 it
was recognized as being superior in quality, or Extra, by the Italian Supreme
Court (now, there’s a judiciary focused on life’s important issues---who cares
if they’re legislating from the bench?). Today it has a stunning 87% market
share within its category, a unique achievement in the world of spirits.
Because Sambuca is a liqueur, its high sugar content usually mandates
consumption after dinner. The classic presentation is con la mosca (literally
“flies”)---served in a snifter with floating coffee beans, always an odd number
for superstitious reasons. The traditional three beans signify health,
happiness and prosperity. Many Italians use it in place of sugar to sweeten
their espresso, giving rise to the well-known caffè corretto or “corrected
coffee.” Flaming the Sambuca for a few seconds in the snifter before drinking
is a popular bit of theater, although it may or may not add something to the
taste.
Using Sambuca in cocktails is tricky, since its strong flavor tends to dominate
other ingredients. For this reason, the most popular bar drinks are shots. If
you’re interested in a mixed drink, try the via Veneto cocktail (brandy,
Sambuca, egg white, lemon juice and sugar), the Matinee (substitute gin for the
brandy), the Genoa (gin, Sambuca, dry vermouth and grappa). Thirsty? Try a
Zambeer, a long drink with Sambuca and root beer.
Recipes:
VIA VENETO
2 oz. brandy
1 oz. Sambuca Molinari
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. sugar
1 egg white
Shake ingredients strenuously in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice; pour into
a chilled Old Fashioned glass.
GENOA
Note: There are numerous versions of the Genoa cocktail, and virtually all of
them use a completely different set of ingredients (we’re talking about Italy,
remember). This one seems to have the cleanest, most straightforward flavors:
1 ½ oz. gin
¾ oz. Sambuca Molinari
¾ oz. dry vermouth
¾ oz. grappa
Stir in mixing glass with ice; strain, and add an olive.
ZAMBEER
1 ½ oz. Sambuca Molinari
10 oz. root beer
Pour the Sambuca into a highball glass with ice; fill to top with root beer.
sambuca molinari cocktails
Recipes:
VIA VENETO
2 oz. brandy
1 oz. Sambuca Molinari
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. sugar
1 egg white
Shake ingredients strenuously in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice; pour into
a chilled Old Fashioned glass.
GENOA
Note: There are numerous versions of the Genoa cocktail, and virtually all of
them use a completely different set of ingredients (we’re talking about Italy,
remember). This one seems to have the cleanest, most straightforward flavors:
1 ½ oz. gin
¾ oz. Sambuca Molinari
¾ oz. dry vermouth
¾ oz. grappa
Stir in mixing glass with ice; strain, and add an olive.
ZAMBEER
1 ½ oz. Sambuca Molinari
10 oz. root beer
Pour the Sambuca into a highball glass with ice; fill to top with root beer.
