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A digestivo is not just a schnapps - it's a ritual. In Italy, the small glass after a meal is part of the culinary finale.
Whether clear, bitter, sweet or herbal: the digestivo should not only taste good, but also stimulate digestion - and, just as importantly, round off the get-together in style.
Even the ancients indulged in herbs
The origins of digestivo go back a long way: even in ancient times, the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians mixed alcohol or water with herbs to soothe the stomach. In the Middle Ages, Italian monasteries took up the idea - many digestives were originally developed there as healing elixirs. One of the oldest records comes from monastery archives, in which nocino is mentioned as early as the Middle Ages. The digestivo became a custom in everyday life in Italy from the Renaissance at the latest.
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Robust in the north, sweet in the south
What was once considered a medicine against bloating and cholera is now a symbol of Italian conviviality - with strong regional characteristics. In northern Italy, robust herbal liqueurs such as Fernet-Branca, Grappa or Nocino dominate. In the south, on the other hand, the focus is on lemons, aniseed and mild sweetness: limoncello from Campania, sambuca with coffee beans in Rome or bitter liqueurs with bergamot from Calabria are common here. Typical representatives of this tradition are amaro, grappa, limoncello, sambuca or nocino, a walnut liqueur from northern Italy.
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The "coffee killer"
Almost every amaro is based on a secret recipe, often in the hands of the same family for generations. The blends of herbs and spices sometimes differ significantly - from woody to medicinal to sweet and spicy. And then there is the term "Ammazzacaffè" - the "coffee killer". In many regions, this is the name given to the digestivo that finishes the espresso. Or perhaps the other way round. Because anyone who dines out in Italy knows that here the meal doesn't end with dessert, but with a glass. Even if it's just a toast to life.
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The most famous digestives from Italy
- Amaro Averna: a herbal liqueur from Sicily
- Fernet-Branca: a herbal bitters from Milan
- Limoncello: Lemon liqueur from Campania
- Grappaa marc spirit from northern Italy, especially from Veneto and Piedmont
- Sambuca: an aniseed liqueur from Lazio
- Amaro Montenegro: a herbal liqueur from Bologna
- Nocinoa walnut liqueur from Emilia-Romagna
- Amaretto: an almond liqueur from Lombardy
- Mirto: a myrtle liqueur from Sardinia
- Strega: a herbal liqueur from Campania
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