Amaretto

Etymology

The name is a diminutive of the Italian amaro, meaning "bitter", indicating the distinctive flavour lent by the mandorla amara--the bitter almond or the drupe kernel. However, the bitterness is not unpalatable, and the flavour is enhanced by sweeteners, and sometimes sweet almonds, in the final products.Therefore, the liqueur's name can be said to describe the taste as "a little bitter". Conflation of the homophonous amare and amore ("love") is primarily responsible for the associations with romance. Amaretto should not be confused with amaro, a different Italian liqueur that is flavoured with herbs.

History

Comune di Saronno coat of armsSicily is mostly responsible for the introduction of almonds into general Italian cuisine. Its location has encouraged contact with a variety of ethnic groups who made their presence known in the Mediterranean. Ancient and early Medieval Sicilians traded and otherwise interacted with neighboring Levant cultures to whose lands the almond was indigenous. Later, power in Sicily was taken by the Arabs or "Saracens"; their dominating presence from the 9th to the 11th centuries A.D. helped to diffuse many Arabic cultural and culinary concepts throughout the region.

Almonds became a favored component in Italian food and drink as Arab-Sicilian influence spread over the peninsular mainland, inspiring innovations. The concept reached all the way to the north of Italy, including the region of Lombardy, in which a municipality named Saronno would become famous for its almond-infused liqueur. In many regions, particularly these northernmost ones, distinct local varieties of amaretto biscotti developed. Amaretti di Sassello, unique to Liguria, are very soft and moist, like marzipan. Amaretti di Saronno, at the other end of the spectrum with a crunchy, crisp texture, became associated with the liqueur of the same town and therefore the most prominent style.

Legend Despite apparently clear etymology of the terms, and known history on the introduction and acceptance of almonds into Italian cuisine, more recent takes on the meanings and origins have come about, further popularized by the two major brands. Though of sometimes questionable factuality, these tales hold a sentimental place in Saronno culture.

The liqueur

In 1525, a Saronno church commissioned artist Leonardo Da Vinci and student Bernardino Luini to paint their sanctuary with frescoes. As the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Luini needed to depict the Madonna, but was in need of a model. He found his inspiration in a young widowed innkeeper, who became his model and (in most versions) lover. Out of gratitude and affection, the woman wished to give him a gift. Her simple means did not permit much, so she steeped apricot kernels in brandy and presented the resulting concoction to a touched Luini.