Women are getting more into drinking spirits, and we spend a lot of time finding the spirits we like, yet we’re often still unsure how to serve them properly. Clearly, there are several ways you can use most spirits and people have different preferences. I have listed some basic rules you should consider when making […]
Schnaps You can’t go to Vienna, or anywhere in Austria for that matter, without seeing people enjoying Schnaps*. Schnaps is a strong spirit, usually from fruit such as apricot, pear, cherries or plum. In Austria, Schnaps is defined as distilled fruit brandy, similar to French calvados (made from apples). Most of them are around 35–42% […]
Fancy something different? Here are some great alternative cocktails using Grappa as the main spirit – the recipes are based on Nonino products; however, if you wish to replace it with another high-quality Grappa make sure you get the correct grape variety as the flavours can be very different. Antonella (I have slightly changed the measures as […]
Italian Grappa is taken like French Brandy or Spanish Sherry, but remains very much in their shadow as it is considered by many to be nothing more than branded moonshine. Italian restaurants all over the world serve this spirit made from leftovers, the vinaccia from wine production. This in itself doesn’t mean it has to be rubbish; […]
First of all, as my blog post stresses, there’s Grappa and there’s Grappa. Take the time to find the quality brands (such as Nonino, Bocchino, Berta or Bepi Tosolini) as they are well worth the effort and are a wonderful spirit. The difference is explained through the production methods which I’ve bashed out below. Grappa […]