“I was born in the Venetia, spirits are part of my ancestral culture. My grandfather mixed grappa in his milk.” What an authentic, great start for Carlo Cracco’s new adventure into the world of spirits. Now on hiatus from TV, the chef has recently presented his new line of organic spirits in Venice.
The collection has been thoroughly thought out in its polished simplicity and consists of Organic Gin, Organic Limoncello, and Organic White Bitters – all of them the result of lengthy experimentation with organic herbs, perfectly dosed to find the right balance at the Quaglia distillery, near the city of Asti in north-western Italy. The collection was developed to complement a meal with a product of the highest quality, the expression of Carlo Cracco’s taste and philosophy. The spirits will be the worthy ending of an haute cuisine dinner.
In the words of Chef Cracco: “I am very proud to be back in my native region to present these products. I spent my life looking for the best qualities in each ingredient and preparing the best possible recipes, so that each dish will be an authentic pleasure. I have often wondered how, by the meal’s end, we could harmonize the different tastes to compose a memorable experience, for digestion to leave nothing but a pleasurable memory.”
It is quite interesting to see how Cracco defined each spirit. The Gin is a concoction of organic alcohol, juniper berries, clary sage, lemon zest, water, and other herbs. For his Limoncello, Cracco wanted originality, so he added a bit of salt and a whiff of other citrus fruits, plus a hint of lemongrass and caramel. Lastly, the White Bitters (Amaro Bianco) is an infusion of herbs and aromatics: hibiscus, yarrow, liquorice, Damask rose, absinth, gentian, Chinchona bark, coriander, chamomile, Madagascar vanilla, bitter orange, angelica, and wild thyme.
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