Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas

by Brad Thomas Parsons

Featuring more than 100 recipes, Amaro is the first book to demystify the ever-expanding, bittersweet world, and is a must-have for any home cocktail enthusiast or industry professional.The European tradition of making bittersweet liqueurs--called amari in Italian--has been around for centuries. But it is only recently that these herbaceous digestifs have moved from the dusty back bar to center stage in the United States, and become a key ingredient on cocktail lists in the country’s best bars and restaurants. Lucky for us, today there is a dizzying range of amaro available—from familiar favorites like Averna and Fernet-Branca, to the growing category of regional, American-made amaro.Starting with a rip-roaring tour of bars, cafés, and distilleries in Italy, amaro’s spiritual home, Brad Thomas Parsons—author of the James Beard and IACP Award–winner Bitters—will open your eyes to the rich history and vibrant culture of amaro today. With more than 100 recipes for amaro-centric cocktails, DIY amaro, and even amaro-spiked desserts, you’ll be living (and drinking) la dolce vita.

Genres: Cocktails, Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Food, Cooking, Booze

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2016

About the author

Brad Thomas Parsons is the author of "Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All (winner of the James Beard and IACP Cookbook Awards), "Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs", and "Distillery Cats: Profiles in Courage of the World’s Most Spirited Mousers." His forthcoming book, "Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time," will be published October 22, 2019 by Ten Speed Press. Parsons received an MFA in writing from Columbia University, and his work has appeared in "Bon Appétit,", "Food & Wine," "Travel + Leisure"," Lucky Peach", and PUNCH, among others. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Michael Siliski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Reads more like a magazine article blown out to book size thanks to lots of recipe padding than a real book about amaro. A half assed effort. I expected a much more thorough history, at least some sort of structured organization (seriously, alphabetical is all we get?), and quite a bit more guidance and depth on the major amari out there.

[Cristhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaby me regaló este libro (junto con otra joya, el Negroni) pero este es, sin miedo a equivocarme, el mejor libro que he recibido como regalo de cumpleaños en mi vida. Pocos libros me motivan a querer probar hacer cosas, este es uno de ellos.

Algún día estaré haciendo mi propio amaro, ya verán.

5/5

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it's any indication how good I thought this book was, I've been to my favorite liquor store 3 times while reading it and once since I finished. Bitters, herbals, and amaros, be they apéritif or digestif,
are my beverage of choice in the spirits world. What a lovely setting to explore recipes, lore, and information on a subject of which I am quite fond. Informative, clearly written, beautifully illustrated, and well organized, this book will be a delight to any cocktail enthusiast (except perhaps my husband, who was thinking of getting this for me for the holidays, and had to think of something else. But that was not a strike against the information in the book, more that Blogging for Books stole his thunder.)

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems to me that as cooking shows educate the American palate more and more, bitter is finally coming into its own. Amaro is an informative and interesting introduction to amaro, the bitter liqueurs made by steeping marcerated bitter herbs, barks, flowers, and such in a neutral spirit or wine and then sweetening. Most amari (plural of amaro) are Italian, though Underberg, my favorite, is German. If you’re new to amaro liqueurs, let me recommend Underberg, which is sold only in single serving bottles or in cases of single bottles, as an inexpensive way to test the waters.

There are basically five flavor types that we can perceive: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Most of us easily love sweet, salty, and umami. It takes a bit more for us to learn to love sour and bitter. I am sure every family has a photo of a child tasting a lemon or a bit of raw kale for the first time and making that face, the face of one too young to know the joys of sour and bitter flavors.

Bitter is coming into its own lately, in cooking and most particularly, in cocktails. Here in Portland, more and more fine restaurants offer an array of digestifs that celebrate bitter.flavor and dozens of clever cocktails centered on amaro. So far, every amaro cocktail I have tasted has been delicious, though my exploration is far shorter than Brad Thomas Parsons, the author of Amaro.

The book is well-organized, introducing us to the history and background of Amaro, specific types and brands of amaro, some stories about amaro in the wild (in bars), and many cocktails with adorably clever names.

Amaro is an excellent addition to the cocktail connoisseurs shelf. Most books on alcohol focus on the common cocktails, wine, champagne, or beer. It is fabulous to find a book that takes a look at amaro, those still under appreciated bitter liqueurs that taste of far-away places, mysterious herbs and magical enchantments.

There are personal anecdotes, beautiful pictures and a wealth of information. Parsons is right to forge this new path, exploring the drinks that are less well-known. There are dozens of books that will tell you about rum, vodka and how to make a good gin and tonic, but very few will tell you how to make Eeyore’s Requiem, inspired by what its creator calls the most bitter character in literature, it uses three amari. By the way, I am so glad the index lists all the Fernet cocktails (like Eeyore’s Requiem) under Fernet and I love the stories behind the cocktails and their names.

I recommend Amaro for cocktail lovers and for people like me who love the culture of food and drink even when I don’t get to taste everything.

Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas

I was provided a review copy of Amaro through Blogging for Books.

★★★★★
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpres...

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amaro by Brad Thomas Parsons would make a great Christmas present for any cocktail connoisseur. This history of bittersweet and herbal liqueurs is informative and beautifully photographed.

Amaro is translated from Italian to mean "bitter" and "refers to the collective class of Italian-made aromatic, herbal, bittersweet liqueurs traditionally served as a digestif after a meal. Amari are created by macerating and/or distilling bitter barks, herbs, seeds, spices, citrus peels, flowers and other botanicals in a neutral spirit or win that is sweetened with a sugar syrup." (6)

Besides the history lessons and tour of Italy, Parsons includes no less than ninety different cocktail recipes. (Yep, I counted them all.) There are the traditional and more recognizable classic cocktails like the Aperol Spritz, Negroni, and the Boulevardier. But, I was more drawn to the names of the "modern" ones: Bartender on Acid, Eeyore's Requiem, Thistle and Weeds, and the Full Monte.

He also provides five recipes if you want to infuse your own amaro. To round out his book, there's "The Bittersweet Kitchen" with recipes for Drunken Affogato, Amaro-Spiked Milkshakes, Amaro-etti Cookies, and Barrel-Aged Fernet Maple Syrup (to name just a few).

Just as soon as I order some gentian root and white pine bark, I will try my hand at his Winter Spice Amaro (229) which also includes multiple kinds of citrus peels, anise, cardamom, juniper berries, mint, cranberries, and dried figs. I would love to give an amaro infusion in a beautiful bottle along with this book to my favorite imbiber.

Parsons is also the author of Bitters, a winner of both the James Beard and IACP Awards.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions, exclamations, gushing and rants are my own.

You can see my review along with a recipe at http://eliotseats.com/2016/12/04/spir....

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book for I was hopping in more of a history of the company. There was just a slight glance at the history of bitters in general but not of the company. The rest and most of the book is filled with recipes which are good along with the pictures in the book but I was expecting more. growing up in a home that actually used the product when my parents had parties in the 60’s and 70’s I was hoping for more, maybe it was just me. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 3 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad this book exists because amari are confusing. And I did learn a little more, but I wish there was a little more meat here. Specifically I wish there was more detail about the entire category and more discussion about how all these things taste.

[Nash Rougvie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amaro is probably the most comprehensive collection of Amaro-based recipes in print. That's potentially to its detriment. I was hoping for a more complex, researched background on the tradition of Amari and the industry's big hitters. That's not what this book is about (save for a few introductory pages that highlight info that is boilerplates to anyone with a passing interest in the subject). While there are fun little anecdotes throughout, and the author's travels are ones I would obviously die to experience, I don't think Parsons really has the pen to illuminate the stories he lived in the most engaging light. The book felt more like a braggadocios escapade about his industry connections than an effort to highlight the faces and processes behind the contemporary amaro scene. I think this is well illustrated in his entry of the "Senegelese Friendship Bracelet" cocktail, which he made up in response to an encounter with the most ubiquitous tourist trap in Italy - the friendship bracelet scam. More critical editorial efforts would not have included a cocktail whose raison d'etre is "I was in Milan = Campari" and "The man who scammed me was Senegalese = Sorel"; the cocktail's inclusion is really self-indulgent.

The book is a good reference guide and coffee table addition, but it isn't functionally anything beyond a recipe book, which is fine, but it seems to bill itself as much more than that. The background about Amari is too brief for this to be considered a historical reference; the snippets covering cultural background are too centered on Parsons' personal experiences to be considered sociologically interesting; the stories of travel are again to focused on Parsons' self to feel inviting to the reader as an adventure story (which his travels really ought to be conveyed as); and his two-page section on homemade Amari is too high-level to be useful for anyone undertaking that endeavor. As someone with a pretty surface-level understanding of Amari, I didn't really feel like I learned anything.

I do have to give props to the photography - it is amazing. It is impressive how much ground was covered in the making of this book, and the array of bars drinks were shot at. I hope an updated edition with more in-depth details on the aforementioned lacking sections are in the works, as Parsons' connections make a better book on the subject very possible.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The title is a mouthful, but it tells you exactly what you are getting into. And the author does a great job of embracing the subject in depth. This sort of thing appeals to me, so I might be a bit biased.

As the title suggests, amari are bittersweet, herbal liqueurs. The flavors can range quite a bit, but there is a similarity of ingredients used to make them. The author covers a lot of different varieties too. Most of them are Italian, but some come from other regions. There are even a few American craft amari coming out now. Don't worry, he gives a great overview that tells you everything you need to know about these liqueurs.

In addition to giving a profile on commercial amari, which includes known ingredients, origin, and a flavor profile, he tells us ways that these can be used in making cocktails. This is probably the largest section of the book, and it includes riffs on classic cocktails as well as some new ones. He wraps it up with a small section on making your own amaro. I'll definitely try this down the line, but there are a number of suggested ingredients that I just don't have at this time.

There are a nice variety of pictures in the book, and anecdotes to go along with the pictures and the descriptions of the various liqueurs and cocktails. These give it body that would otherwise be lacking. The photos include bottles of well known amari, examples of the cocktails, and even some of the people he came into contact with while crafting the book. This book should appeal to cocktail nerds.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Parsons' books - his Bitters volume is a complete treasure, and has led me to make more than half a dozen bottlings of my own. This book is equally brilliant - being a combined handbook on the history and development of amari across Europe and now in America, with both cocktail recipes and instructions on how to make bitter liqueurs to continue the tradition for your own bar. But I am really mystified by the page on bitters in London: Parsons describes the problem in finding anything more than a few dusty bottles of Fernet Branca in restaurants, the redoubtable Gerrys store being no help and even a barman drawing a blank; this is completely at odds with my own experience - my love of amari has come from trying every different variety available at Italian restaurants across town - my local (Neapolitan) cafe from work in Borough stocks del Capo, among several others, whereas my favourite Italian near home carries at least six at any time, including the owner's favourite, Montenegro. I can only believe the author's research in London failed to include any Italian bars or cafes, which is really odd.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just stepped into the world of drinking bitters, I am thankful to have this author there to guide me through the ever-expanding maze of offerings.
Amaro is a post-prandial drink to aid digestion. Now, that can also be a contested definition but the one most agreed upon that it is not a "bitter" in the sense it is an additive to a drink- they are to be drunk directly, and not before a meal -an aperitif- but after - a digestif. Amaro, plural amari, is the Italian word for the traditionally bitter beverage, even if many modern versions are sweetened, like Campari. There is a lovingly gathered selection of amari for one to find with a story about the beverage, it's alcohol by volume, known ingredients (if any), and flavor notes divided, roughly, by style and nation of origin. Following are cocktail recipes to use these newly-sourced amari. A brief section on making one's own amaro, then a collection of recipes for other beverages, and food to try with them.
Thanks to this text, I now know that Jagermeister is in this category.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gem, I learned so much in just a few pages. I've had two encounters with Amari over the years: Amaro Nonino Quintessentia and Fernet-Branca. Amaro Nonino was an amazing experience...Fernet-Branca, not so much. My friend's husband is from Argentina and drinks it with Coca-Cola...you'll read about that in this book. I'm excited to try other Amari and other Fernets; its a big wide world out there! And the recipes to make cocktails and even your own Amaro at home was wonderful! #bookbingonw2018 #history

[Anne Frisbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. Loved learning a bit of history of amari. Also, great to hear about what Barnacle in Seattle and Amor y Amargo in NY - two bars specializing in amari - are doing.

Love the Bitter Giuseppe as a bitter Cynar digestif. Will make that again. Book included the recipe for Sam Ross' Paper Plane - a goto cocktail of mine too. Have marked another ten or so that I will try.

[Maria Cloos · Rating 5 out of 5]

BPT always writes a book that everyone needs and that speaks to the soul. I’m ready to dive in and try the amaros he suggests and whip up some lovely cocktails, not to mention some amaros of my own. I also appreciated the Wegman’s wine glass (that shoppers got free when they spent a certain amount when the store first started out) on page 154. It makes me feel better for having about 20 of them (from my grandmother and my boyfriend’s grandmother).

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the man who brought us Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas. This book is awesome, and I'll be making an Amaro from this book and will report back.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting introduction to the world of Italian cocktails. I had never heard of it which was why I wanted to review this title. It gave great history and background. I found it very interesting and have made many of the included apertifs.

I volunteered to receive and review a copy of this book. The opinion contained herein is solely my own.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thorough and well researched, with excellent design and illustrations. The writing, however, feels a bit like a 4th grade book report, with overly stretched sentences designed to fatten up paragraphs between illustrations and recipes. A gorgeous addition to the cookbook shelf and an inspiration for many new cocktail adventures.

[Camille Raneem · Rating 5 out of 5]

All around great introduction to & resource for amaro. The personal details and stories that accompany the actual recipes kept me reading beyond the introductions that had roped me in. I was grateful I had kept reading by the time I hit the section on how to make amaro. Thoughtful, well formulated, and a great gift idea for anyone in your life who has an interest in booze, food, or herbalism.

[Chris Quartly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book although ultimately it's a bit more like a list of amaro with a lot of cocktail recipes at the end, both of those are incredibly helpful! The first section of the book is interesting for the history of amaro, etc.

Ultimately a quick-read and I'd recommend it for anyone with more than a passing interest.

[Arrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything you always wanted to know about amaros, with nice photos and some good recipes too. I am slowly working my way through this somewhat comprehensive and well-written list, but thankfully still have many sips to go!

[William Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Amaro in this case is not referring to a specific company or product, but about the whole class of liqueurs. It's fascinating for that, as it discusses all the different kinds, how they're made, what you can do with them. I recommend it to liqueur lovers, especially bitter ones.

[Pierre · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and informative read. Brad Thomas covers fundamentals of Amaro as a categories, history +tasting notes for different sub-styles, and numerous interesting origin stories. Great read whether or not your like Amaro.

[Ravanagh Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive guide to amari, but this book is not designed to be read by anyone outside the USA.

There is a section on new amaro cocktails, which is of particular interest to me. I think I’ll make some.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas (Hardcover)
by Brad Thomas Parsons

delightful complete with diy basic recipes

[Ry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good info about hard to find amari.

[Mark Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun. Can't wait to try making my own amaro.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hipster guidebook for affectation and making the old new again. It's not necessarily a bad thing!

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and a reference I’ll pull from my shelf time and time again as I explore the worlds of bitters and amaro.

[Fresno Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

great, if you love Amaro!

[Rachel Sulik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Brad Thomas Parsons. I love his work!