L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano F or centuries, in various parts of Northern Italy, w o r k i n g f o l k s w o u l d f o r t i f y themselves before heading out into the bitter cold of winter. Their chosen potion usually was a local spirit dis- t i l l e d a s a b y p r o d u c t o f grape residue left over from w i n e p r o d u c t i o n . T h a t ' s where and how the earthy, 9 0 - p r o o f a l c o h o l i c b r e w known as grappa originat- ed. Though it had counter- p a r t s i n F r a n c e ( m a r c ) , Spain (aguardiente), and Portugal (bogaceira), grap- pa was a regional libation indigenous to that area of Italy and made in backyard s t i l l s . T o d a y , g r a p p a h a s spilled across international borders. It showed up in the US in the 1970s, after pro- ducers started using whole grapes, slower distillation, oak barrel aging, and eye- catching packaging. O n c e p e r c e i v e d a s a rough, rustic drink for farm- ers and outdoorsmen, it has become mellow and elegant due to refined techniques. The updated version is defi- n i t e l y n o t y o u r grandpa's grappa. It's no longer "like drinking fire." Originally referred to as "poor man's brandy," grap- pa results from the distilla- t i o n o f s k i n s , s t e m s , a n d seeds remaining after grapes are pressed into wine. Dur- i n g t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y i n N o r t h e r n I t a l y , p o r t a b l e stills were moved from win- e r y t o w i n e r y t o d i s t i l l t h e v i n a c c i a ( p o m a c e ) o f whatever wine was made. Little attention was paid to the quality of the grapes or crushed skins. Historically, grappa was s t r o n g a n d r u g g e d w i t h enough tannin to tweak your tongue and plenty of alcohol t o k e e p y o u w a r m d u r i n g frigid weather. It was con- sidered too fiery for most wine drinkers, but accept- able for liqueur aficionados who enjoyed finishing din- ner with a sip or two. I n i t s s i m p l e s t f o r m , g r a p p a i s m a d e b y adding water to the pomace, fermenting, and distilling t h e m a s h i n a t r a d i t i o n a l still. Distillation involves heating the fermented water and pulp, resulting in the f o r m a t i o n o f v a p o r s . T h e steam is then captured and placed in another container to be cooled and condensed into a liquid with an elevat- ed alcohol content. M o r e s o p h i s t i c a t e d lifestyles and tastes have called for upscale grappa, prompting winemakers to t a k e o n t h e c h a l l e n g e o f squeezing every dollar out of their business by turning once-discarded grape waste into grappa. Most of Italy's leading wineries are pro- ducing the drink, but not directly because it's against the law to make wine and distillates at the same facili- ty. T h o u g h m o s t o f t h e u p g r a d e d g r a p p a c o m e s from the misty hills of Pied- mont and rocky contours of Friuli, distilleries are scat- tered throughout the coun- try. Among the top brands are Romano Levi, Moro- lo, Nonino, Nardini and J acopo Poli, each of which relies on such select grapes as Muscat, Merlot, or Baro- lo. Grappa has become so ingrained in Italy's culinary culture that a museum dedi- cated to it has been estab- l i s h e d i n B a s s a n o d e l Grappa, a town of 50,000 in the Vicenza area. On dis- play are historical distilling equipment, documents of production, and decorative glass bottles. Just as wine has become an integral component in countless Italian recipes, grappa has found its way into a variety of dishes. It often is added to espresso and desserts like sbrisolona crumb cake made in Verona and Mantova. It also puts a kick in biscotti and gelato, plus is mixed with crème de cassis and cranberry juice in a Grappatini cocktail. I t a l i a n r e s t a u r a n t s t h r o u g h o u t t h e U S h a v e j u m p e d o n t h e g r a p p a bandwagon big-time. One c h a i n g r o u p o f f e r s a n impressive 58 labels with prices ranging from $7.50 to $27 per glass. The owner says, "Cheap grappa used to burn your throat. But pro- g r e s s i v e p r o d u c e r s h a v e learned to smooth it out like a fine brandy." Retailers such as Binny's, with 45 stores throughout the Chicago area, keep up with the demand by stock- ing 36 brands, ranging from Pisoni di Chardonnay grap- p a f o r $ 1 6 . 9 9 t o M a r o l o B a r o l o D e c a n t e r f o r $ 79.99. I f t h i s a c c e p t a n c e of grappa continues, espe- cially in the cold weather, the title and lyrics of the for- mer hit Dean Martin tune "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" could easily be r e v i s e d t o " I ' v e G o t M y Grappa to Keep Me Warm." Among the many ways to spike a dessert with grappa, w e f i n d g r a p p a s w e e t - bread. Here's the recipe Ingredients (Serves 6) 3 slices of gubana or one slice of panettone or pan- doro, all 1 ½ in thick 3/4 cup of grappa 3/4 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon of butter Directions Drizzle the bread slices w i t h h a l f o f t h e g r a p p a , s p r i n k l e w i t h h a l f o f t h e sugar, and place in a cast- iron skillet over high heat Cook for a few minutes to caramelize the sugar and heat the bread Drizzle with the remain- ing grappa, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar Turn the slices over with a plastic spatula and cook for 1 minute C u t t h e b r e a d s l i c e s i n h a l f a n d s e r v e immediately. CHUCK PECORARO Today grappa has become a drink for connoisseurs (Photo: Mathieu Van Den Berk/Dreamstime) WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES Grappa: once wild, now mild A variety of grappa bottles on sale (Photo: Studioportosabbia/Dreamstime)

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