When You have Lemons, Make Limoncello

Sweet and tart, limoncello is an Italian lemon flavored liqueur produced in the south of Italy, on the Amalfi Coast.  If you ever have the pleasure of visiting this idyllic locale,  be sure to get the passenger’s seat in the car or the right side of the bus and hold on for dear life. These coasts, just south of Naples, offer some of the most spectacular vistas in Italy if not some of the most perilous driving. On my most recent visit, while careening through the cliff top roads at Italian speeds, our bus suffered a minor accident.  While we emerged basically unscathed, our nerves needed a strong drink upon our arrival and seeing how limoncello is native to this region, it was the medicine of choice.   Although this beverage is popular throughout Italy, it is, like many Italian specialties, produced in a relatively small part of country; in this case, the Amalfi Coast.

Digestivo – Italian for “Alka-Seltzer”   

Digestivo, the Italian version of the French digestif, is a strong liqueur taken after a meal with the intension of aiding in digestion and settling the stomach. Just like a French eau de vie or Scandinavian aquavit, Italian digestivos are distilled liqueurs.  The most popular types of digestivo in Italy are grappa, amaro and limoncello.  What’s the point of a digestive you ask?  Well, after several antipasti (appetizers usually consisting of salumi - Italian for any type of cured and sliced meats), a primo piatto (first course usually pasta, rice dish or soup), secondo piatto (second course usually a meat dish), a contorno (side dish of vegetables) and dolce (dessert), your stomach needs something to deal with all that food, not to mention the half or even full bottle of wine you consumed.  If you ask any Italian, they will claim the digestivo they drink after helps them digest what could be a marathon meal, especially if it’s a Sunday family gathering. Many Italians also drink espresso in this manner, but it’s not really its expressed purpose.