Don't think red
Written: Oct 13 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tasty and versatile in cocktails and desserts; help revive an old classic by getting a bottle
Cons: Could be difficult to find outside of well-stocked spirits shops
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| Chuq's Full Review: Luxardo il Maraschino Originale |
To learn to appreciate this wonderful liqueur, first ... forget everything you think you know about the word "maraschino". Inevitably, you're going to think of those very sweet, artificially-colored-red cherries that you get out of a jar to garnish drinks. This ain't that.
Don't get me wrong, I like a cherry garnish in the appropriate cocktail. It's just that the term "maraschino" seems to have come to mean only the red (or green in some cases) cherries in the jar. Liquore di Maraschino (lee-KWAH-ray di mar-as-KEE-no, not mar-ah-SHEE-no) isn't red, it's clear.
It is a liqueur, so you can expect a certain amount of sweetness, but it's not sickly sweet, it's surprisingly dry. It's distilled in a manner not unlike that of brandy, with the fruit, juice and pits crushed and fermented together, and then the resulting distillate is blended with cane syrup until it reaches the right proof and sweetness. And while it is a cherry liqueur made from Marasca cherries, it has a delightful and subtle bitter nutty undertone from the presence of the pits.
Maraschino was much more commonly available in the U.S. in times pre- and post-Prohibition, and was a fairly common ingredient in the cocktails of that era. In fact, the Martinez, widely acknowledged to be the precursor to the Martini, contained a couple of dashes of Maraschino. Given that I'm fond of what are referred to nowadays as "classic" cocktails (meaning cocktails that hardly any bartender seems to know how to make), I've kept a bottle of Luxardo Maraschino in my home bar at all times. It's by far the best Maraschino I've tried so far, although I must confess I haven't tried all that many. One Croatian brand was harsh and overly sweet, but this one is just right.
Let's mix some classic cocktails, shall we?
If you're a gin lover, try the Aviation - 2 ounces gin, 1/2 ounce Maraschino, and 1/4 ounce lemon juice. One of my favorites is the Fancy-Free Cocktail - 2 ounces Bourbon, 1/2 ounce Maraschino, and one dash each of Angostura bitters and orange bitters (another classic ingredient I always keep in my bar). Rye lovers can try a Tennessee, with 2 ounces of rye, 3/4 ounce of Maraschino and 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice, on the rocks in a tumbler.
This liqueur also makes a terrific marinade for fresh fruit -- drizzle some over fresh strawberries or in a fruit salad. I also watched Chef Mario Batali brush Luxardo Maraschino over sponge cake for one of his dessert creations on the Food Network. My next project is to try it in a chocolate souffle instead of Grand Marnier ... I'll let ya know.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Chuq
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Member: Chuck Taggart
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 80 members
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